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In the last couple of weeks, the California media have been heralding the discovery of “new water” in deep aquifers as a possible solution to the state’s ongoing drought and water shortages. Unfortunately, the updated estimate of available groundwater reported by Stanford University researchers isn’t that new—scientists have long known that there are many deep aquifers throughout the state—and more significantly, accessing these waters would be extremely expensive due to their great depth and poor quality.

It’s always difficult to imagine how something thousands of miles away will have anything to do with you directly, but we need to do just that with the Arctic because big changes are happening now and big changes are coming.

Let’s get caught up with Arctic Sea Ice, if you’re not familiar. At the top of the planet, we have a big chunk of the ocean that is frozen and we call it an ice cap.

The plan to improve the Delta’s natural environment and the efficiency of the state and federal water projects has been put on hold by a tentative ruling from a Sacramento Superior Court Judge.

On June 24, Judge Michael Kenny ruled on clarification motions concerning a consolidated suit aimed at halting the Delta Plan. In his words, the plan is “vacated and invalid.”

An almond industry group is crediting growers for their water efficiency while cultivating what is expected to be a big crop this year. California’s 2016 almond production is expected to be 2.05 billion meat pounds, up from the 2 billion pounds projected in May and up nearly 8 percent from last year’s yields, reports the National Agricultural Statistics Service. The agency cites several factors for the improved crop, including more precipitation and chill hours than last year and a quick and uniform almond blossom.

Ever since California voters overwhelmingly rejected the peripheral canal in November 1982, the state and federal governments and regional water agencies have concocted a number of schemes to fund this unpopular water diversion plan without a vote of the taxpayers.

In the latest scheme, documents released under the California Public Records Act reveal that the Zone 7 Water Agency of Alameda County has been using property taxes to pay for Delta Tunnels (BDCP/CA WaterFix) planning costs “before even one shovel of dirt has been turned,” according to a statement from Restore the Delta.