Watch our series of short videos on the importance of the
Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, how it works as a water hub for
California and the challenges it is facing.
Some people in California and across the West struggle to access
safe, reliable and affordable water to meet their everyday needs
for drinking, cooking and sanitation.
There are many ways to support our nonprofit mission by donating
in someone’s honor or memory, becoming a regular contributor or
supporting specific projects.
As atmospheric rivers blasted across California this year, they
brought epic amounts of rain and snow follwing a three-year
drought.
Devastating and deadly floods hit parts of the state and now all
eyes are on the potential for more flooding, particularly in
the San Joaquin Valley as the record amount of snow in the
Sierras melts with warmer temperatures.
With anticipated sea level rise and other impacts of a changing
climate, flood management is increasingly critical in California.
Registration Now Open for Northern California Tour:
October 16-18
Registration is now open for
our popular Northern California
Tour October 16-18, and seats always fill
quickly! This 3-day, 2-night excursion across the
Sacramento Valley travels north from Sacramento to Oroville,
Redding and Shasta Lake.
As we head into summer, don’t miss your chance to explore the
statewide impact of forest health on water resources in July and
be sure to mark your calendars for our popular fall programming!
Northern
California Tour, October 16-18: Explore the
Sacramento River and its tributaries through a scenic landscape
while learning about the issues associated with a key source
for the state’s water supply. Registration opens June
12!
Water Summit, October 30: Attend the Water
Education Foundation’s premier annual event hosted in
Sacramento with leading policymakers and experts addressing
critical water issues in California and across the West. More
details coming soon!
Almost 400 water systems serving nearly a million Californians
don’t meet state requirements for safe and reliable drinking
water supplies — and fixing them would cost billions of
dollars. More than two-thirds of these failing water systems
serve communities of color, and more than half are in places
struggling with poverty and pollution, according to an annual
assessment released today by the State Water Resources Control
Board. These water systems failed to provide water “which
is at all times pure, wholesome, and potable,” as required.
Some violated drinking water standards for chemicals, bacteria,
taste or odor. Others rely on bottled water, or have failed to
meet treatment, monitoring or other requirements. … The price
tag for ensuring safe, affordable and accessible water supplies
for all Californians is staggering — an estimated $16 billion
over the next five years — as the state grapples with a
multibillion-dollar deficit.
A newly published report challenges the financial feasibility
of the Delta Conveyance Project (DCP) as outlined by the
Benefit Cost Analysis (BCA) released by the Department of Water
Resources’ (DWR). The report from Dr. Jeffrey A. Michael,
Director of Public Policy Programs at the University of the
Pacific, finds that DWR’s BCA is flawed and inflated, with
questionable assumptions, overvalued benefits and a failure to
consider major project risks and financial implications. At an
estimated cost of $20.1 billion, the DCP represents a
substantial financial commitment for water agencies amidst
growing financial constraints. The DWR’s BCA claims a
benefit-cost ratio of 2.2, suggesting the project’s economic
viability. However, Dr. Michael’s review concludes that this
ratio is inflated and unreliable due to unjustified optimistic
assumptions underlying the analysis.
One of the most contested water management policies in the
United States relies on an ill-informed agreement forged more
than a century ago. The 1922 Colorado River Compact “ignored
available science and overallocated the river’s water,” say the
scientist-authors of the lead story in this year’s policy
issue. But it’s not too late to change course, they argue in
“Fixing the Flawed Colorado River Compact.” Data from rivers
and other inland waters can inform policies surrounding climate
action and conservation, as well as water management, as
evidenced by “Inland Waters Are a Blind Spot in Greenhouse Gas
Emissions” and “Kansas Prairie Streams Are Getting Choked,
Maybe for Good.” Both articles focus on the sobering challenges
of evaluating riverine and riparian ecosystems.
EPA Clean Water Act (CWA) wastewater regulations are set to
face U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) scrutiny. In the case City and
County of San Francisco v. EPA, San Francisco is suing the EPA
over generic water quality prohibitions in permitting
decisions. “The EPA had urged the Supreme Court to decline the
petition, insisting narrative limitations were within its
right,” according to Newsweek. On May 28, 2024, SCOTUS agreed
to hear the case.
Operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the
Bay Model is a giant hydraulic replica of San Francisco
Bay and the Sacramento-San Joaquin
Delta. It is housed in a converted World II-era
warehouse in Sausalito near San Francisco.
Hundreds of gallons of water are pumped through the
three-dimensional, 1.5-acre model to simulate a tidal ebb
and flow lasting 14 minutes.
As part of the historic Colorado
River Delta, the Salton Sea regularly filled and dried for
thousands of years due to its elevation of 237 feet below
sea level.
The most recent version of the Salton Sea was formed in 1905 when
the Colorado River broke
through a series of dikes and flooded the seabed for two years,
creating California’s largest inland body of water. The
Salton Sea, which is saltier than the Pacific Ocean, includes 130
miles of shoreline and is larger than Lake Tahoe.
Drought—an extended period of
limited or no precipitation—is a fact of life in California and
the West, with water resources following boom-and-bust patterns.
During California’s 2012–2016 drought, much of the state
experienced severe drought conditions: significantly less
precipitation and snowpack, reduced streamflow and higher
temperatures. Those same conditions reappeared early in 2021
prompting Gov. Gavin Newsom in May to declare drought emergencies
in watersheds across 41 counties in California.
