Since World War II and a booming state population that
increasingly sought out the great outdoors to relax, the state’s
water-based recreational activities have continued to grow more
popular and diverse, occurring in a multitude of sources –
from swimming pools and spas to beaches, reservoirs, natural
lakes and rivers.
Public water supply projects, such as the State Water Project,
have helped to provide additional recreational opportunities for
Californians. In some cases, reservoir releases can contribute to
downstream recreation benefits by improving fisheries or by
creating whitewater rafting opportunities that would not be
possible in the absence of reservoir regulation. However, there
are conflicting values and needs for the same river system.
Spring is in full swing, with warm weather providing prime
conditions for enjoying the outdoors in California. But it also
brings safety concerns. Warm temperatures and an
above-average snowpack can combine to produce deadly
incidents on the state’s rivers and streams. Recent flows are
fueled by meltwater from California’s snowpack, which was just
above average on April 1. While flood risk is generally lower
than with last year’s 2023’s behemoth snowpack, there are still
safety concerns this year. “The peak snowmelt season is April,
May, June,” said Andy Reising, manager of the snow surveys and
water supply forecasting unit of the California Department of
Water Resources. … Merced County Sheriff Vern Warnke
closed access to the Merced and San Joaquin rivers Monday,
following recent deadly incidents.
Gardening and landscaping allow us to beautify our properties
and give us something fun to do on weekends, but it can also
help improve the watershed ecosystem we live in. Russian
River-Friendly Landscaping, a set of guidelines developed by
the Russian River Watershed Association (RRWA), is a systematic
approach to designing, constructing, and maintaining landscapes
based on basic principles of natural systems. When we
incorporate these guidelines into our landscaping, there are
multiple benefits: we protect and conserve our local waterways
by reducing plant debris and pesticide use, decreasing runoff
by allowing more water to infiltrate into the soil, and more.
The Merced River and the San Joaquin River will be closed for
recreational use throughout Merced County, announced the Merced
County Sheriff’s Office on Monday. Sheriff’s officials say the
snow melting the Sierra Nevada Mountains, is provoking
more water to be released into the county’s waterways and is
making conditions very dangerous in the rivers. The
announcement comes after Sheriff Vern Warnke says they have
encountered tragedies along the river recently, including
people going missing after going to the river. Sheriff Warnke
says it is okay to go fishing in the river, but activities such
as kayaking, swimming, and any other activities that have
anything to do with getting into the water are prohibited until
further notice. “The water’s running fast, running cold,
running deep. So please, stay out of the water,” Warnke
said.
Beyond a chain-link fence topped with spiraled barbed wire,
swaying coastal grasses conceal a cache of buried radioactive
waste and toxic pesticides from a bygone chemical plant.
Warning signs along the Richmond, Calif., site’s perimeter
attempt to discourage trespassers from breaching the locked
gates, where soil testing has detected cancer-causing gamma
radiation more than 60 times higher than background levels in
some places. For most of the 20th century, the former
Stauffer Chemical Co. disposed of thousands of tons of
industrial waste near its factory grounds along Richmond’s
southeast shoreline. … In a January letter to Albany and
Berkeley city officials, [the State Water Board] wrote
that the landfills “may have accepted industrial waste
materials that could present a risk to water quality, human
health, and the environment.”
I have been on the Colorado River a few times, the first in
2014. It is hard to believe that in August, it will represent a
decade of dipping my toes in the water, so to speak, to better
understand this complex river described as the “Workhorse of
the West.” This river, at 1,450 miles, is often referred to as
the lifeblood of a rapidly growing region of the United States.
Arizona’s population is exploding, Utah consistently ranks as
the fastest growing state in the nation and New Mexico,
Colorado and Nevada are suffering from growing
pains. Suffice it to say, the West needs the river to
thrive. The West needs the river to be generous, supported by
bountiful snowpacks in the Upper Basin to support growth. -Written by Joi O’Donoghue and Emma Pitts,
reporters for Deseret News.
When Dos Rios Ranch opens to visitors next month in the San
Joaquin Valley, California will have 280 state parks — making
it one of the nation’s largest systems, as well as one of its
most popular, with about 70 million visitors a year. Who knew?
The short answer is: hardly anyone. Over the past 20 years
I’ve asked several thousand Californians to name five state
parks. Fewer than 5% can do so. And most of these baffled
respondents are outdoorsy folks — the kind of people I meet on
the trail or at my talks about hiking. This lack of awareness
is more than surprising right now. It’s dangerous. If
Californians can’t name a handful of state parks, they won’t
recognize the threat when Sacramento defers investment in the
system or — as is inevitably happening again — attempts to cut
funding. -Written by John McKinney, author of “Hike
California’s State Parks” and two dozen other hiking-themed
books, has visited all 280 state parks.
California water officials are urging people and their pets to
avoid Silverwood Lake in San Bernardino County after a toxic
algal bloom was detected in the reservoir. The Department of
Water Resources has issued a caution advisory warning residents
to avoid parts of the popular recreation spot until further
notice due to the presence of harmful cyanobacteria, or
blue-green algae, in the water. Blue-green algae are a natural
part of many ecosystems, but can grow, or “bloom,” rapidly
under certain conditions including warmer water temperatures.
Experts say the issue is getting worse as climate change, aging
water infrastructure and human activities converge in water
bodies across the state.
As temperatures begin to warm up in Northern California, you
might be tempted to take a dip in local waterways. “Keep in
mind that the area rivers and streams will continue to run COLD
as a product of mountain snowmelt,” the National Weather
Service posted Monday afternoon on X, formerly known as
Twitter. The weather service is forecasting temperatures in
Sacramento to reach 90 degrees by Sunday, for the first time in
2024. “We will be going from below-normal temperatures to
above-normal temperatures for this time of the year,” Scott
Rowe, a senior service hydrologist at the weather service in
Sacramento, said Monday.
The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) is warning
people to keep their pets away from Silverwood Lake in San
Bernardino after water officials identified toxic algae in the
water. Last week, the DWR announced that water officials have
issued a “caution algal bloom advisory” for Silverwood Lake
after blue-green algae, also known as cyanobacteria, was found
at the lake. Not all algae is toxic, but it’s impossible to
tell just by looking at it. Exposure to toxic
cyanobacteria can cause unpleasant symptoms, such as eye, nose,
mouth or throat irritation, headache, allergic skin rash, mouth
ulcers, vomiting, diarrhea, and cold- and flu-like symptoms,
according to a DWR website. Pets and children are especially
susceptible, prompting the DWR to urge people to be aware of
the conditions.
President Biden on Thursday expanded San Gabriel Mountains
National Monument by nearly a third in an action that was
widely praised by the Indigenous leaders, politicians,
conservationists and community organizers who had long fought
for the enlargement of the protected natural area that serves
as the backyard of the Los Angeles Basin. … Stretching
from Santa Clarita to San Bernardino, the San Gabriel Mountains
watershed provides Los Angeles County with 70% of its open
space and roughly 30% of its water. The added protections
will help ensure equitable access to the San Gabriels’ cool
streams and rugged canyons while also preserving clean air and
water.
The seasonal waterfalls at Yosemite National Park are in
spectacular full force, with one “secret waterfall” taller than
an iconic New York City skyscraper almost at peak flow.
… The 2,400-foot falls ran year-round last season,
but they’re not expected to do so again this year. Last
winter’s record Sierra Nevada snow helped keep them
from going dry, something that had happened only once before in
the previous decade. … While still impressive, this
season’s ephemeral water show doesn’t pack quite the punch it
did a year ago at this time, when 10 ephemeral waterfalls
cascaded throughout the park. Waterfalls throughout Yosemite
are only getting snowmelt from a “surprisingly average”
Sierra winter, according to NASA.
Coronado lifeguards use leak-proof dry suits for open water
rescues. Imperial Beach lifeguards decontaminate in showers
after leaving the ocean. And both have ditched jet skis for the
protection offered by boats. These aren’t new equipment
standards.They are tools the two South County departments have
rolled out independently to protect themselves from daily
exposure to polluted, sewage-tainted waters. No safety
standards exist for lifeguards who come into contact with
contaminated water while trying to save lives.
Those who enjoy fishing and who seek trout and salmon in
particular were reminded Wednesday by California Department of
Fish & Wildlife officials that they should keep their dogs away
from the uncooked fish. A parasitic flatworm called Nanophyetes
salmincola can be transmitted to canines that eat the two types
of fish before they’re cooked, creating a bacteria-like
organism in their body and a condition called salmon poisoning
disease, officials said in a news release. The parasite is seen
only in dogs; the disease is potentially fatal but is
treatable, experts say. Signs of the disease in a dog include a
rise in body temperature, a loss of appetite, listlessness,
diarrhea and vomiting. Rapid weight loss may also occur.
Make a Splash with a Big Day of Giving Gift!
Big Day of Giving is just around the corner! Your donation
helps support scholarships for our tours, events & workshops,
expand Project
WET teacher trainings throughout California,
provide free public access to our Western Water and
Aquafornia news
coverage, updates to our Layperson’s Guides
and more!
Donatetoday or anytime
through May 2 to help us reach our fundraising
goal of $15,000! As part of the Big Day of Giving
campaign, we are hosting our annual open house and
reception May 2. Join us at our office near the
Sacramento River to meet our team and learn more about our
work.
More people will be cooling off in the waterways as the
temperatures warm up. However, safety officials have a warning.
Officials are calling on people to wear a life jacket on the
river, use heavy duty rafts or raft rentals, be careful of
hidden objects in the river and avoid getting hypothermia as
the river runs colder. “We are fully prepared and fully
staffed for whatever happens,” said Battalion Chief Parker
Wilbourn, with the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire
District. Mostly small crowds enjoyed the American River
this weekend. However as the weather warms up, Wilbourn knows
the crowds will only get bigger, and it’s important to listen
to your body.
After a decade in the works, California is getting a new state
park this summer. Dos Rios Ranch, a 1,600-acre plot west of
Modesto where the San Joaquin and Tuolumne rivers converge, has
long been slated to become the next state park. On Monday, the
Department of Parks and Recreation announced it would open June
12. … Department of Parks and Recreation Director
Armando Quintero has characterized Dos Rios as a needed
public investment in a “a park-poor region.” The site for
Dos Rios was donated by the Chico conservation group River
Partners, which spent $40 million restoring the
area from its previous incarnation as a dairy farm to its
more natural state as a floodplain, a transition that state
leaders have touted as climate-resilient. In Monday’s
announcement, Gov. Gavin Newsom called the Dos Rios restoration
“a key asset to fighting the climate crisis.”
California WaterBlog is a long-running outreach project from
the UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences, a research center
dedicated to interdisciplinary study of water challenges,
particularly in California. We focus on environmentally and
economically sustainable solutions for managing rivers, lakes,
groundwater, and estuaries. This week, for UC Davis Give Day
(April 19-20) we’re sharing a little about the Center and the
work we do. I’m Karrigan Bork, the Center’s Interim Director,
helping out while Director Andrew Rypel is on sabbatical, and
I’ll be your guide for this brief tour through the “Shed”. If
you would like to donate to help the Center continue important
work, I’ve shared our giving link below.
Each morning is similar, but different. As we approach the pond
on the wooden catwalk, you can hear the birds calling,
eventually you start to smell the freshness of the ecosystem,
the glitters and splashing ahead gives some indication of bird
activity on the water. Sometimes an alligator lizard scoots
past along the floorwork – occasionally even two. Steam rises
from my coffee cup, to varying degrees, depending on how
quickly we got out the door. And then there are my three kids,
also ever changing. Each day, one to three are in-tow, usually
chatting it up about geology, Egypt, space, or the day’s most
pressing sports news. And so it goes on most mornings, ideally
when the mist is still fresh or the winter fog lingering, the
Rypel family ventures to the “the duck pond” aka Julie
Partansky Pond in north Davis.
Near the western tip of the Mojave Desert and a few miles west
of NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center, fields of
wildflowers painted the landscape yellow in spring 2024. On
April 9, the OLI (Operational Land Imager) on the Landsat 8
satellite acquired this image of fields of yellow wildflowers
blanketing Antelope Valley amid solar and wind farms. The day
after the image was acquired, the Antelope Valley California
Poppy Reserve reported that wildflowers were “popping,” but the
region’s famous poppies were not. Rangers at the reserve said
they also saw very few small poppy plants maturing, suggesting
an impressive poppy bloom is unlikely in the coming weeks.
Four years ago, over 97% of Big Basin Redwoods State Park in
Santa Cruz County burned during the state’s worst wildfire
season in recorded history. Last year, unprecedented winter
storms caused an estimated $190 million in damages to coastal
parks. And at Seacliff State Beach, also in Santa Cruz County,
storms flooded the campground and destroyed the beach’s
historic pier. Climate change and the resulting severe
wildfires, extreme storms and rising sea levels are
increasingly threatening our beloved state parks. … To
address this unprecedented threat, we need to create
climate-resilient state parks that can prepare for, adapt to
and recover from climate impacts. -Written by Rachel Norton, the executive director
of the California State Parks Foundation.
Acronyms are so prevalent in the water industry that stringing
several together can form an impressive-sounding
sentence. That’s exactly what Hanford High School junior
Morgan Carroll did at an April 5 workshop in Sacramento called
Water 101 put on by the Water Education
Foundation. After winning a game of bingo no
less. The bingo game kept the audience of water managers and
government and nonprofit employees on its toes during a talk on
what could be a very dry topic, especially after lunch: The
role of regulatory agencies in state and federal water law.
… Part of being on the team is keeping tabs on current
events in the water industry. Students subscribed
to Aquafornia, the foundation’s daily
news summary, and found out about the workshop that way.
After 12 years of planning, gathering funding then completing
and re-doing – and re-doing again – environmental studies, the
City of Bakersfield has finally gone out to bid for the
northern extension of the Kern River Parkway Trail. “I’m very
excited, it’s been a long time coming,” Councilman Bob Smith
said of the 6-mile long addition to the nearly 40-mile-long
path that runs the length of the Kern River from Gordon’s Ferry
on the east all the way to the Buena Vista Lake Aquatic
Recreation Area on the west. This extension will take runners,
hikers and cyclists north at Coffee Road along the Friant-Kern
Canal up to 7th Standard Road, about a half mile west of the
Gossamer Grove development.
This tour explored the lower Colorado River firsthand where virtually every drop of the river is allocated, yet demand is growing from myriad sources — increasing population, declining habitat, drought and climate change.
The 1,450-mile river is a lifeline to some 40 million people in the Southwest across seven states, 30 tribal nations and Mexico. How the Lower Basin states – Arizona, California and Nevada – use and manage this water to meet agricultural, urban, environmental and industrial needs was the focus of this tour.
Hilton Garden Inn Las Vegas Strip South
7830 S Las Vegas Blvd
Las Vegas, NV 89123
This special Foundation water tour journeyed along the Eastern Sierra from the Truckee River to Mono Lake, through the Owens Valley and into the Mojave Desert to explore a major source of water for Southern California, this year’s snowpack and challenges for towns, farms and the environment.
This tour explored the lower Colorado River firsthand where virtually every drop of the river is allocated, yet demand is growing from myriad sources — increasing population, declining habitat, drought and climate change.
The 1,450-mile river is a lifeline to some 40 million people in the Southwest across seven states, 30 tribal nations and Mexico. How the Lower Basin states – Arizona, California and Nevada – use and manage this water to meet agricultural, urban, environmental and industrial needs was the focus of this tour.
Hyatt Place Las Vegas At Silverton Village
8380 Dean Martin Drive
Las Vegas, NV 89139
The lower Colorado River has virtually every drop allocated, yet demand is growing from myriad sources — increasing population, declining habitat, drought and climate change.
The 1,450-mile river is a lifeline to 40 million people in the Southwest across seven states, 30 tribal nations and Mexico. How the Lower Basin states – Arizona, California and Nevada – use and manage this water to meet agricultural, urban, environmental and industrial needs was the focus of this tour.
Hyatt Place Las Vegas At Silverton Village
8380 Dean Martin Drive
Las Vegas, NV 89139
This event explored the lower Colorado River where virtually every drop of the river is allocated, yet demand is growing from myriad sources — increasing population, declining habitat, drought and climate change.
The 1,450-mile river is a lifeline to 40 million people in the Southwest across seven states and Mexico. How the Lower Basin states – Arizona, California and Nevada – use and manage this water to meet agricultural, urban, environmental and industrial needs was the focus of this tour.
Deep, throaty cadenced calls —
sounding like an off-key bassoon — echo over the grasslands,
farmers’ fields and wetlands starting in late September of each
year. They mark the annual return of sandhill cranes to the
Cosumnes River Preserve,
46,000 acres located 20 miles south of Sacramento on the edge of
the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.
This tour explored the lower Colorado River where virtually every drop of the river is allocated, yet demand is growing from myriad sources — increasing population, declining habitat, drought and climate change.
The 1,450-mile river is a lifeline to 40 million people in the Southwest across seven states and Mexico. How the Lower Basin states – Arizona, California and Nevada – use and manage this water to meet agricultural, urban, environmental and industrial needs is the focus of this tour.
Silverton Hotel
3333 Blue Diamond Road
Las Vegas, NV 89139
Deep, throaty cadenced calls —
sounding like an off-key bassoon — echo over the grasslands,
farmers’ fields and wetlands starting in late September of each
year. They mark the annual return of sandhill cranes to the
Cosumnes River Preserve,
46,000 acres located 20 miles south of Sacramento on the edge of
the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.
We explored the lower Colorado River where virtually every drop
of the river is allocated, yet demand is growing from myriad
sources — increasing population, declining habitat, drought and
climate change.
The 1,450-mile river is a lifeline to 40 million people in
the Southwest across seven states and Mexico. How the Lower Basin
states – Arizona, California and Nevada – use and manage this
water to meet agricultural, urban, environmental and industrial
needs was the focus of this tour.
Hampton Inn Tropicana
4975 Dean Martin Drive, Las Vegas, NV 89118
This three-day, two-night tour explored the lower Colorado River
where virtually every drop of the river is allocated, yet demand
is growing from myriad sources — increasing population,
declining habitat, drought and climate change.
The 1,450-mile river is a lifeline to 40 million people in
the Southwest across seven states and Mexico. How the Lower Basin
states – Arizona, California and Nevada – use and manage this
water to meet agricultural, urban, environmental and industrial
needs is the focus of this tour.
Best Western McCarran Inn
4970 Paradise Road
Las Vegas, NV 89119
Water truly has shaped California into the great state it is
today. And if it is water that made California great, it’s the
fight over – and with – water that also makes it so critically
important. In efforts to remap California’s circulatory system,
there have been some critical events that had a profound impact
on California’s water history. These turning points not only
forced a re-evaluation of water, but continue to impact the lives
of every Californian. This 2005 PBS documentary offers a
historical and current look at the major water issues that shaped
the state we know today. Includes a 12-page viewer’s guide with
background information, historic timeline and a teacher’s lesson.
A companion to the Truckee River Basin Map poster, this 24×36
inch poster, suitable for framing, explores the Carson River, and
its link to the Truckee River. The map includes Lahontan Dam and
Reservoir, the Carson Sink, and the farming areas in the basin.
Map text discusses the region’s hydrology and geography, the
Newlands Project, land and water use within the basin and
wetlands. Development of the map was funded by a grant from the
U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Mid-Pacific Region, Lahontan Basin
Area Office.
This 24×36 inch poster, suitable for framing, explains how
non-native invasive animals can alter the natural ecosystem,
leading to the demise of native animals. “Unwelcome Visitors”
features photos and information on four such species – including
the zerbra mussel – and explains the environmental and economic
threats posed by these species.
The 24-page Layperson’s Guide to the State Water Project provides
an overview of the California-funded and constructed State Water
Project.
The State Water Project is best known for the 444-mile-long
aqueduct that provides water from the Delta to San Joaquin Valley
agriculture and southern California cities. The guide contains
information about the project’s history and facilities.
A new look for our most popular product! And it’s the perfect
gift for the water wonk in your life.
Our 24×36 inch California Water Map is widely known for being the
definitive poster that shows the integral role water plays in the
state. On this updated version, it is easier to see California’s
natural waterways and man-made reservoirs and aqueducts
– including federally, state and locally funded
projects – the wild and scenic rivers system, and
natural lakes. The map features beautiful photos of
California’s natural environment, rivers, water projects,
wildlife, and urban and agricultural uses and the
text focuses on key issues: water supply, water use, water
projects, the Delta, wild and scenic rivers and the Colorado
River.