Maven&#x27;s Notebook

sciencefocus.comA biblical megaflood could hit the US at any moment. And that’s only the beginning | BBC Science Focus MagazineA flood, the scale of which has not been seen in centuries, is coming, scientists say. Can we prepare before it hits?

Scientists and officials are now preparing for a 30-day maelstrom of megastorms unlike anything seen in the state for almost 200 years. Such a scenario was always possible, but rising global temperatures are making it more likely and more destructive. #cawater www.sciencefocus.com/planet-earth...

accuweather.comLate-week storm to bring some rain, mountain snow to California before spreading into SouthwestA slow-moving Pacific storm will bring some late-season rain and mountain snow to California before spreading into the Southwest, offering limited but welcome moisture as drought and wildfire concerns...

A slow-moving Pacific storm will bring some late-season rain and mountain snow to California before spreading into the Southwest, offering limited but welcome moisture as drought and wildfire concerns persist. #cawater www.accuweather.com/en/weather-f...

fishbio.comSurprising Effects of Fire on Fish and Freshwater Ecosystems - FISHBIO | Fisheries ConsultantsFire is a fact of life for many ecosystems. While many species are adapted to these recurrent natural phenomena, fires continue to increase in frequency, intensity, and severity...

A recent publication examined the effects of fire severity and timber salvage efforts on freshwater communities in streams throughout Oregon’s conifer forests. #cawater fishbio.com/surprising-e...

montereycountynow.comCalifornia announces reopening of Chinook salmon fishery in Monterey Bay for the 2026 season.California's Monterey Bay reopens for recreational Chinook salmon fishing on April 11, with commercial fishing to follow, marking a boost for the 2026 season.

DFW announced that Monterey Bay will open to recreational salmon fishing on April 11. For the first time in four years, the region is also expected to reopen to commercial fishing sometime in May. #cawater www.montereycountynow.com/blogs/news_b...

eenews.netIn the West’s water war, Arizona’s governor is betting on Trump — and IranArizona is facing deep cuts to the water supply that feeds its desert economy. Gov. Katie Hobbs is banking on President Donald Trump to blunt them.

The Bowtie Wetland Demonstration site is one of many planned projects to renaturalize and open up the Taylor Yard industrial area around the LA River. #cawater www.kcrw.com/shows/kcrw-r...

Hobbs is touting Arizona defense contractors’ work on Tomahawk missiles that the U.S. military deploys in the conflict. Her aim: to get Trump to intervene on behalf of the state in the West’s biggest water war. #cawater #ColoradoRiver www.eenews.net/articles/in-...

California clocked its second-worst snowpack on record Wednesday, a potentially troubling signal ahead for fire season. It’s an alarming end to a winter that saw abnormally dry conditions briefly wiped from CA’s drought map in January. #cawater mavensnotebook.com/2026/04/02/c...

Every state in the West is expected to face an above-normal threat of wildfire this summer, according to the latest projections, released Wednesday by the National Interagency Coordination Center. #cawater mavensnotebook.com/2026/04/02/g...

A new UC Riverside system can map soil moisture tree by tree, so growers water only where and when it’s needed. #cawater mavensnotebook.com/2026/04/02/u...

With 80% of the Delta too deeply subsided to restore to tidal marsh, rice agriculture stands out as one of the most promising interventions for reducing subsidence while preserving agricultural livelihoods. #cawater mavensnotebook.com/2026/04/02/d...

localnewsmatters.orgState says cormorants, pelicans among seabirds starving along California coast - Local News MattersSome of California’s seabirds are increasingly starving to death, state scientists say. Starvation is the “primary cause of increased mortalities” in

Starvation is the “primary cause of increased mortalities” in seabirds found from Mendocino County to San Diego #cawater localnewsmatters.org/2026/04/01/s...

ijpr.orgA Yreka Creek cleanup could help struggling salmon populationsA Yreka Creek cleanup will remove trash and invasive plants to protect endangered coho salmon habitat in the Shasta River watershed. Volunteers are invited to help.

The Karuk Tribe of California and the city of Yreka will host a creek cleanup April 25 aimed at restoring Yreka Creek, a waterway biologists consider the “last stronghold” for coho salmon in the Shasta River watershed. #cawater www.ijpr.org/podcast/the-...

pressdemocrat.comSt. Helena spells out plan to tackle brown tap waterThough the city maintains it’s safe to consume, “I do not want to drink colored water and you should not drink colored water,” one consultant told a crowd of 50 at a recent town hall.

While St. Helena has made efforts to stop minerals that cause discolored water from flowing through city pipes to residents’ homes, a buildup of those minerals still remains in the old water distribution system the city may ultimately seek to replace. #cawater www.pressdemocrat.com/2026/04/01/s...

San Francisco Baykeeper prevails over the cities of Sunnyvale and Mountain View in a longstanding Clean Water Act lawsuit. #cawater mavensnotebook.com/2026/04/02/s...

montereycountynow.comA Marina desalination project is underway to add drinking water supply.Marina Coast Water District is reviving a desalination plant to secure local water supplies, targeting completion by 2027 to reduce groundwater reliance.

A desal pilot project at Marina State Beach in 1996 is being revived by the Marina Coast Water District to help reduce reliance on groundwater. #cawater www.montereycountynow.com/news/local_n...

newtimesslo.comSan Miguel CSD deadlocked over vacant board seat amid past groundwater disputeConflict continues, San Miguel, San Miguel CSD, Community Services District, Steinbeck lawsuit, groundwater, water rights, Paso Robles, Raynette Gregory, board seat, vacant seat

A regional groundwater dispute that began more than a decade ago is now shaping who can sit on the current San Miguel Community Services District (CSD) board. #cawater www.newtimesslo.com/san-miguel-c...

Folks should pay close attention to two recent appellate court decisions from the Las Posas Valley Groundwater Basin. The March 2026 rulings mark the first contested comprehensive groundwater adjudication affirmed under the framework enacted alongside SGMA. #cawater www.omm.com/insights/ale...

kymkemp.comWhen the Water Stops: One Rural Community’s Crisis and the National Problem Behind ItIn Alderpoint, a past-due power bill threatens to red-tag dozens of homes — but the real story is what’s happening to small water districts across California and the nation, and why it’s only going to...

Across California, 100s of public water systems are designated as failing by the state, most serving disadvantaged communities. The vast majority lack the resources to keep pace with rising costs and aging infrastructure. Nationwide, the picture is starker still. #cawater kymkemp.com/2026/03/25/w...

prismreports.orgContaminated water from California prison sickens residents of nearby townIone residents say state and local agencies have refused to take accountability for elevated cancer rates and other health issues linked to water contamination at Mule Creek State Prison

Ione residents say state and local agencies have refused to take accountability for elevated cancer rates and other health issues linked to water contamination at Mule Creek State Prison. #cawater prismreports.org/2026/03/24/m...

thederrick.comCould salad get you high? Wastewater irrigation raises contamination questionsDrugs found in treated wastewater can be stored in the leaves of vegetables irrigated with that water, Johns Hopkins researchers found. But are drug-infused greens sitting on your grocer’s shelf,

Drugs found in treated wastewater can be stored in the leaves of vegetables irrigated with that water, Johns Hopkins researchers found. But are drug-infused greens sitting on your grocer’s shelf, and how powerful is the dose? #cawater www.thederrick.com/ap/national/...

dailykos.comFish groups say juvenile salmon will die unless feds release pulse flows into Sacramento River!Red Bluff — The federal government yesterday released over 6.2 million juvenile Sacramento River Fall-run Chinook Salmon into Battle Creek at the Coleman National Fish Hatchery, a move celebrated by r...

Over 6.2 million juvenile Chinook Salmon were released into Battle Creek, but conservationists warn that inadequate water flows during a record heat wave could jeopardize their survival. #cawater www.dailykos.com/story/2026/3...

Reclamation increases South of Delta allocation to 20%. Westlands: 'This additional 5 percent is simply inadequate' #cawater mavensnotebook.com/2026/03/24/r...

capradio.orgWhat are the impacts of California’s unseasonably hot March?Western states have been feeling the heat for more than a week, which has broken temperature records and raised longer-term concerns as California’s snowpack continues to melt.

DWR said the snowpack has been melting at an average rate of 1% per day, putting CA on track for a near record-low April 1. Climatologist Michael Anderson speaks with Cap Radio. #cawater www.capradio.org/articles/202...

latimes.comCalifornia's snowpack was already meager. Now comes an extraordinary heat waveWinter has brought California's Sierra Nevada a below-average amount of snow, and the snowpack has been shrinking for weeks.

California's snowpack has been shrinking for weeks and is expected to melt rapidly with a heat wave this week. #cawater @ianjames.bsky.social www.latimes.com/environment/...

Anna Caballero, author of SB72, says there’s no concrete estimate for the cost to respond to worsening drought conditions, so she’s proposing a bond that could pay for implementing much-needed updates to the state’s water plan. #cawater mavensnotebook.com/2026/03/14/c...

usatoday.comCrazy or genius? A nuclear-powered solution to the West's water crisisA $40 billion plan proposes massive desalination plants to save the Colorado River, but critics call it "crazy."

A group has proposed an ambitious plan to build 8 massive desal plants off the CA coastline, making water for farming, and reducing demand on the ailing Colorado River. To meet the energy demand, the plants might have to be powered with nuclear reactors. #cawater www.usatoday.com/story/news/n...

nytimes.comIn Ski Towns, a Bad Snow Year Is Worsening Wildfire Fears

In Colorado, mountain towns are wrapping up one of the worst ski seasons that anyone can remember. But it’s not the slushy slopes that are on people’s minds right now. It’s the wildfire risk. #cawater #ColoradoRiver www.nytimes.com/2026/03/15/c...

fishbio.comGolden Mussel Patrol: Detector Dogs are on the Scent - FISHBIO | Fisheries ConsultantsEven though golden mussels were only detected in California in October 2024, they pose a significant and immediate threat to the state’s waterways...

Common inspection programs and methods for detecting golden mussels—like boat inspections or eDNA—can be costly, labor intensive, and slow. Luckily, a new solution is on the rise: dogs that can smell invasive species. #cawater fishbio.com/golden-musse...

fieldandstream.comAfter Dam Removal, Salmon Reach Upper Klamath Basin for First Time in Over 100 YearsRecent fish monitoring indicates early success for the largest dam removal in U.S.history.

Recent radio monitoring shows that chinook salmon have reached stretches of the Upper Klamath River Basin—an area that anadromous fish have been absent from for over a century, according to a press release from the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife. #cawater fieldandstream.com/stories/cons...

When a meter turns 15 years old or so, it stops measuring the water usage accurately, almost always in favor of the customer, sometimes undercounting by huge margins. Arcata has 6,600 old water meters that need to be replaced. #cawater lostcoastoutpost.com/2026/mar/13/...

sacbee.comYuba Water reports salmon and steelhead habitat affected during pipe ruptureIn a report to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the agency outlined the potential environmental impacts of the Feb. 13 water pipe rupture.

Yuba Water Agency filed a report with FERC regarding the New Colgate Powerhouse incident, stating that the incident may have reduced water flow in the lower Yuba River and temporarily dried out rearing habitat for Chinook salmon and steelhead. #cawater www.sacbee.com/news/politic...

The State Lands Commission relied on flawed data to mischaracterize the impact of sand mining leases, which pose a threat to Bay wildlife and shorelines, says SF Baykeeper #cawater mavensnotebook.com/2026/03/14/p...

sjvwater.orgSan Joaquin Valley farmers will have water certainty – if they can make it through the next few years, panelists say – SJV WaterWater supply certainty is in the future for San Joaquin Valley growers, according to three water experts who spoke at California Citrus Mutual’s Citrus

Water supply certainty is in the future for San Joaquin Valley growers, according to three water experts who spoke at California Citrus Mutual’s Citrus Showcase Wednesday in Visalia. But it’s at least five to eight years out, acknowledged Paul Gosselin, at DWR. #cawater sjvwater.org/san-joaquin-...

sjvwater.orgSome Kings County farmers call "BS" on state proposal to let small pumpers off the hook – SJV Water• Editor's note: Monserrat Solis covers Kings County water issues for SJV Water through the California Local News Fellowshipinitiative. A proposal for

A proposal for the state Water Resources Control Board to exclude “small pumpers” in both the Tule and Tulare Lake subbasins from the groundwater reporting and fee requirements required under probation, elicited strong reactions from some Kings County farmers. #cawater sjvwater.org/some-kings-c...

zocalopublicsquare.orgThe Lonely Lake That Revolutionized American Environmental Law | EssayIn the 1970s and 1980s, Battles to Preserve Mono Lake Set New Protection Precedents

Mono Lake has revolutionized environmental law in California, the American West, and the U.S., bringing about important changes to water use and air quality regulations in recent decades. #cawater www.zocalopublicsquare.org/lonely-lake-...

lbpost.comMonday Morning Coffee: Can Long Beach curb trash flowing down the L.A. River?Here's what's on the agenda for city and business leaders.

The Long Beach City Council on Tuesday is expected to enter into an agreement with Los Angeles County and Ocean Cleanup, an international conservation group, to forge a plan for stewarding a new trash collection system at the mouth of the river. #cawater lbpost.com/newsletter/c...

bloomberg.comThe Colorado River’s Problems Are About to Get DeeperWe live in an era of compounding climate disasters. Hurricanes lead to power failures that make heat waves more miserable. Heat waves harden the ground and make flooding worse. The Colorado River migh...

A heat wave will quickly melt what little snow there is, and the states along the river are struggling to agree on how to divvy up the dwindling resource, with the federal government potentially stepping in. #cawater #ColoradoRiver www.bloomberg.com/opinion/arti...

washingtonpost.comA record heat dome is about to hit the West — in MarchA powerful and unusually early heat dome will affect the West Coast for weeks, smashing March heat records as temperatures rise to summerlike levels.

A record-breaking heat dome will develop near the West Coast late this week, smashing records and sending temperatures into the triple digits through next week — when it will feel like summer during the final days of winter. #cawater www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2026...

pressdemocrat.comProlonged March heat wave could set North Bay records, further shrink Sierra Nevada snowpack in bad sign for fire seasonWith no storms in the forecast, conditions could be setting up for an early dry season and an earlier fire season — in the state’s interior, at least.

The same high-pressure ridge delivering mid-80s temps to Santa Rosa by Sunday will also preclude the possibility of “Miracle March”. Conditions could be setting up for an early dry season and an earlier fire season. #cawater www.pressdemocrat.com/2026/03/11/p...

sfgate.comSigns of strong El Niño emerge. Here's what California can expect.Experts consider the year ahead.

There is a 62% chance that El Niño conditions will begin between June and August and last at least through the end of the year. La Niña, which started last fall and ruled the winter, is expected to fade out any day. #cawater www.sfgate.com/weather/arti...

The Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) has adopted three options for 2026 ocean salmon fisheries off Washington, Oregon, and California, which are available for public review. #cawater www.pcouncil.org/documents/20...

mavensnotebook.comREPORT: From planning to action: The Mutibenefit Land Repurposing Program's 2025 progress and impactThe 2025 Multibenefit Land Repurposing Program (MLRP) Annual Report is now available, detailing program progress and regional activities. Prepared by the Statewide Support Entity with input from block...

The 2025 Multibenefit Land Repurposing Program (MLRP) Annual Report is now available, showcasing collaborative efforts to advance groundwater sustainability while benefiting ecosystems, local economies, and communities. #cawater mavensnotebook.com/2026/03/12/r...

mavensnotebook.comINSIDE CLIMATE NEWS: California water board will soon release a new rule to limit water pollution from dairies in the stateMore than 10 years after environmental groups petitioned for a new rule, the state plans to require the Central Valley Water Board to update its waste regulations for dairies contributing to groundwat...

More than 10 years after environmental groups petitioned for a new rule, the state plans to require the Central Valley Water Board to update its waste regulations for dairies contributing to groundwater pollution. #cawater mavensnotebook.com/2026/03/12/i...

kcra.comA surprising percentage of produce from the nation's largest supplier contains 'forever' pesticidesNearly 40% of nonorganic fruits and vegetables grown in California contain traces of pesticides that are also PFAS, or "forever chemicals," according to a new investigation.

Nearly 40% of nonorganic fruits and vegetables grown in California contain traces of pesticides that are also PFAS, or "forever chemicals," according to a new investigation. #cawater www.kcra.com/article/cali...

sfgate.comSolano Co.: California Forever Or California For Never? Plan To Build New City Polarizes CountyThe two men stood near a rickety barbed wire fence by state Highway 12 between Suisun City and Rio Vista in Solano County, looking east over a vast tract of gently rolling rangeland.

For three years, California Forever has pitted the residents of Solano County against each other. What started off as an acrimonious flame war between supporters and detractors has now settled into a grinding battle of attrition. #cawater www.sfgate.com/news/bayarea...

mavensnotebook.comSGMA IMPLEMENTATION: Unraveling the dynamics of interconnected surface water depletionUnderstand the challenges of managing interconnected surface water and groundwater under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act.

Managing interconnected surface water under SGMA presents complex challenges for local agencies. Find out how groundwater pumping impacts stream depletion over time. #cawater #groundwater mavensnotebook.com/2026/03/11/u...

latimes.comNearly 40% of California produce contains PFAS pesticides, report findsUsing state data, an environmental group found PFAS residue on more than 40 different kinds of fruits and vegetables grown in California. The state has approved 53 PFAS pesticide ingredients, while ot...

Nearly 40% of CA’s conventionally grown fruits and vegetables tested contained PFAS residues, including 90% of peaches and nectarines. #cawater www.latimes.com/science/stor...

sjvwater.orgAnother valley groundwater subbasin will likely escape state intervention – SJV WaterThe Delta-Mendota subbasin, one of the largest in California, will likely avoid state enforcement. Staff from the state Water Resources Control Board

Water Board staff issued an assessment March 2 that recommends the Delta Mendota subbasin, which stretches over 765,000 acres across six counties, return to the oversight of the Department of Water Resources (DWR). #cawater sjvwater.org/another-vall...