California and the U.S.

The latest news and analysis covering water issues in Caliornia and the rest of the United States.

Delta Smelt: The Tiny Fish Caught in California’s War With Trump

On a warm November morning, John Durand squints over the stern of a small research boat, and gestures toward gray-blue water, and the chaotic tangles of tube-like tule reeds.

Water Permit Hearing for Keystone XL Extended Into New Year

A South Dakota board deciding whether to grant water permits for the Keystone XL pipeline will extend its hearing into the new year after opponents repeatedly voiced concerns about the pipeline.

Sen. Feinstein Urges Newsom-Trump Teamwork on California Water

Sen. Dianne Feinstein waded into California’s water wars as a peacemaker Thursday morning.

State EPA Secretary Lauds Clean-up Funds in USMCA, Federal Funding Bills

California Environmental Protection Secretary Jared Blumenfeld lauded House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and San Diego County’s congressional delegation Thursday for their successful efforts to include millions in funding in a new multi-national trade deal to mitigate toxic sewage flows in the Tijuana River Valley.

Strong Storms Boost California Snowpack to Highest December Level Since 2015

In a boost for California’s water supply, a series of recent storms that blanketed the Sierra Nevada in snow has built the state’s snowpack to its highest December level since 2015. The snowpack — a key source of the state’s water supply — measured 113% of average this week, roughly 40% higher than the snowpack […]

Gov. Newsom’s Threat to Sue Trump Upends Peace Talks on California Water Wars

Even before he was sworn into office, Gov. Gavin Newsom threw his weight behind a series of tentative deals, brokered by his predecessor, that were intended to bring lasting peace to California’s never-ending battles over water and endangered fish. The deals, designed to reallocate water from the state’s major rivers, have yet to be finalized a […]