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Colorado River Crunch Gives Cadiz an Opening

/in , /by /Politicoby Annie Snider and Camille Von Kaenel

THERE’S NOTHING LIKE A GOOD CRISIS: The situation on the Colorado River — the water supply for 40 million Westerners and half of all Californians — is dire. The waterway’s flows have shrunk 20 percent since the turn of the century and climate scientists say it’s not unreasonable to think that another 20 percent could be lost in the coming decades. To cities, farmers, tribes and industries from Wyoming to Mexico — but especially in legally vulnerable Arizona — that looks like pain. To the Los Angeles-based water company Cadiz Inc., that looks like opportunity.

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OMWD Completes Construction of New Recycled Water Pipelines in Carlsbad and Encinitas

/in , /by /San Diego Union-Tribune

Olivenhain Municipal Water District has completed construction of several recycled water pipelines in Carlsbad and Encinitas. The installation of over 5,600 feet of new pipelines will allow several HOA communities in the project area to convert their irrigation systems to recycled water, resulting in more than 12.5 million gallons of drinking water saved every year, according to a news release. “Converting our irrigation system to recycled water was the right decision,” said Paul Heller, Summerhill HOA board president, in the news release.

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California Water Agencies Extend Funding for Colorado River Board

/in , /by /The Desert Reviewby Betty Miller

The Colorado River Board of California (CRB), tasked with safeguarding the state’s water rights and interests in the Colorado River since its establishment in 1937, will continue its operations through July 1, 2026, under a newly proposed one-year funding extension. The amendment was approved through the consent calendar at the Tuesday, June 17, Imperial Irrigation District (IID) board meeting. It extends the existing financial agreement among the Six Agency Committee (SAC) without altering the cost-sharing structure.

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Lake Oroville Sitting Near Full Capacity, California Department of Water Resources Monitoring Lake Level and Operations

/in , /by /Action News Nowby Sade Pullen

Lake Oroville is nearing its full capacity, a stark contrast to its all-time low of 643 feet above sea level nearly four years ago. The Department of Water Resources (DWR) is closely monitoring the water levels and operations of Lake Oroville. According to DWR spokesperson Raquel Borrayo, the lake is currently at 98% capacity.

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California Lawmaker Pushes for Audit of Multibillion Dollar Water Conveyance Project

/in , /by /Courthouse News Serviceby Alan Riquelmy

Golden State officials have said the Delta Conveyance Project will pump 3,000 cubic feet of water per second, strengthening water resources in Southern California. To Malissa Tayaba, it’s a project that will desecrate her ancestors’ graves. Tayaba, vice chair of the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians, spoke Wednesday outside of the California Capitol against the project that’s been estimated to cost $20 billion.

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US Critical Networks Are Prime Targets for Cyberattacks. They’re Preparing for Iran to Strike.

/in , /by /Politicoby Maggie Miller

The organizations representing critical networks that keep the lights on, the water running and transportation systems humming across the U.S. are bracing for a possible surge of Iranian cyberattacks. Virtually every critical infrastructure sector is on high alert amid a deepening conflict between Iran and Israel, though no major new cyber threat activity has been publicly reported so far. As these groups proactively step up their defenses, it’s unclear whether Washington is coordinating with them on security efforts — a change from prior moments of geopolitical unrest, when federal agencies have played a key role in sounding the alarm.

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Trump Nominates Former Arizona Water Official to Lead Reclamation

/in , /by /The Sunby Daniel Gligich

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, the department that oversees water management, could have its next leader come from Arizona. President Donald Trump nominated Ted Cooke to be the agency’s next commissioner. The big picture: Trump nominated Cooke for commissioner on Monday. The nomination was received in the Senate and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Driving the news: Cooke was the manager for the Central Arizona Project from 2015 to 2023 and has over two decades of experience with the agency.

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Dust Storms Surge in California as Farmers Fallow More Fields

/in , /by /EHN

A surge in dust storms across California’s Central Valley is linked to expanding tracts of fallowed farmland, as growers abandon irrigation to conserve water. In short: a new study found that 88% of California’s human-caused dust events stem from fallowed agricultural land, especially in the drought-prone Central Valley. Remote sensing data from 2008 to 2022 show a 36% per decade increase in airborne dust over the Central Valley, as more fields go unplanted to comply with water conservation mandates.

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The West’s ‘Climate Mayors’ Call for Federal Help as Colorado River Flows Decline

/in , /by /LA Timesby Ian James

A group of mayors representing cities across the West is calling for the federal government and state leaders to rally around efforts to help the region address water scarcity as climate change takes a toll on the Colorado River and other vital water sources. The bipartisan group Climate Mayors outlined a series of proposals for the Trump administration and state governments in a document released this week, saying federal and state involvement and financial support will be essential as cities seek to advance solutions including new infrastructure and water-saving initiatives.

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Trump Pushes ‘America First’ in Mexico Water Deal. Experts Worry It May Backfire

/in , /by /KJZZby Nina Kravinsky

In April, there was a post. “We will keep escalating consequences, including TARIFFS and, maybe even SANCTIONS, until Mexico honors the Treaty, and GIVES TEXAS THE WATER THEY ARE OWED!” President Donald Trump wrote on his Truth Social account. The president’s signature declarative, all-caps style had collided with the highly technical realm of water negotiations between the United States and Mexico. It’s a world governed by an 81-year-old treaty that binds the two neighbors’ taps at a time when water is increasingly scarce on the border.

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