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‘Little Point’ to Restarting Trump Water Case, Judge Says

/in , /by /Bloomberg Lawby Maya Earls

Democratic-led states, tribes, and conservation groups will not see a Trump-era water rule declared invalid before the Ninth Circuit decides the issue or the EPA issues a new rule, a federal judge in California ruled.

The plaintiffs wanted the US District Court for the Northern District of California to resume their lawsuit over the Clean Water Act Section 401 Certification Rule issued in 2020 that they said unlawfully restricted states’ and tribes’ ability to reject water polluting projects.

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As Drought Intensifies, Newsom Plans California’s Biggest Water Project in Half a Century

/in , , /by /San Francisco Chronicleby Kurtis Alexander

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office renewed its commitment on Wednesday to launching California’s biggest water project in half a century, unveiling a newly configured plan for a 45-mile conveyance tunnel through the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta.

The estimated $16 billion pipeline, iterations of which have circulated for decades, is designed to better move water from the state’s wet, rural north to drier, more populated points south. The proposed tunnel would allow water shipments to bypass the delta’s sensitive wetlands and aging water infrastructure, thereby protecting and even boosting water supplies for the Bay Area, Southern California and farmland in between.

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Water Woes Are Biggest Worry for Californians as Drought Drags On

/in , , /by /The Mercury Newsby Marisa Kendall

As the drought punishing California drags on, water is a top — and growing — worry for residents of our parched state, outpacing wildfires and climate change, according to a new poll about environmental issues.

With reservoirs and snowpack shrinking, Californians listed the state’s water supply as their number one environmental worry, with 68% of adults saying it’s a big problem — up from 63% a year ago.

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Lawmakers Call on Kern Stakeholders to Engage on Water Investment

/in , , /by /Bakersfield.comby John Cox

Farmers and water managers may need to do more to engage with lawmakers from outside the Central Valley before the state Legislature can be persuaded to make important investments in water storage and other infrastructure projects, members of Kern’s Sacramento delegation told an audience Tuesday of the Water Association of Kern County.

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Report Revealing Hundreds of Failing Water Districts in California

/in , , /by /KBSYby Austin Herbaugh

A state audit found that nearly one million Californians have contaminated drinking water.

The report found that 920,000 people could face health issues from unsafe drinking water.

The California State Auditor found there are 370 failing water systems in California that are putting almost a million residents at risk.

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California Water: New $16 Billion Delta Tunnel Plan Released by Newsom Administration

/in , , /by /Mercury Newsby Paul Rogers

Three years ago, amid shaky political support and uncertain funding, Gov. Gavin Newsom killed plans by his predecessor, Jerry Brown, to build two massive tunnels under the Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley Delta to more easily move water south.

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These Before and After Images Show the Devastating Effects of California’s Drought — From Space

/in , , /by /San Francisco Chronicleby Yoohyun Jung

Sometimes, it takes zooming out to a bird’s eye view to fully understand the devastating impacts of drought in California.

Images captured from space by government and private satellites offer a sobering look at how the current drought — in year three — is affecting the state’s land and natural resources.

The latest data from the U.S. Drought Monitor shows about 97% of California in moderate or worse drought, with much of the Central Valley and southern portions of the state in the worst conditions.

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Popular SF Bay Area State Park Closes Campground for Summer Due to Drought

/in , , /by /SF Gateby Amy Graff

A favorite San Francisco Bay Area spot for sleeping under towering redwood trees is temporarily shutting down its campground again this summer because of California’s historic drought.

Portola Redwoods State Park said Tuesday that its campground facilities with 55 sites and four group sites will be closing Aug. 5 and not reopening for the remainder of the season because of low flows on its main water source, Peters Creek. (The campground closes every winter, from Nov. 1 to April 1.)

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California’s Worst Drought on Record Spells Trouble for Classic Green Lawns

/in , , /by /The Wall Street Journalby Jim Carlton

This wealthy Los Angeles suburb is famed for its celebrity residents and meticulously landscaped homes. After a crackdown on water use, it is now gaining renown for having some of the brownest lawns in America.

“My kids are asking me, what is going wrong with this grass?” said Siran Galstian, whose once verdant lawn is dying. “I have tears in my eyes, because I love the grass and they like playing in it.”

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Butte County Supervisors Accept Final Drought Plan

/in , /by /Enterprise-Recordby Jake Hutchison

The Butte County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the finalized drought plan Tuesday with the stipulation that it would be a living document that develops as conditions change.

Water and Resource Conservation Director Kammie Loeser was joined by Assistant Director Christina Buck to deliver a series of presentations on water with the first focus surrounding a major analysis project that has occurred over the past six months.

 

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