The Trump administration has ordered firings and buyouts at the federal agency that operates water infrastructure in California, potentially jeopardizing the agency’s ability to manage dams and deliver water, according to Central Valley water officials. … The bureau, which employs about 1,000 people, is set to lose about 100 employees in California through terminations and buyouts, eliminating about 10% of its regional staff, one of the employees said. But larger workforce reductions are slated, and the bureau has been ordered to prepare plans to cut its staff by 40%, this person said. … Internal documents reviewed by The Times show that the positions being eliminated include maintenance mechanics, engineers, fish biology specialists and others.

Other water and natural resource jobs and funding news across the West:

• San Francisco Chronicle: Trump loathes California’s delta smelt. Funds to save it just ended
• Colorado Public Radio: Hundreds protest federal layoffs at Boulder NOAA facility
• Lookout (Santa Cruz, Calif.): First wave of NOAA layoffs raises familiar feelings in Santa Cruz County: confusion and uncertainty
• Lost Coast Outpost (Eureka, Calif.): Trump, Musk plan to shutter federal offices includes Arcata site for NOAA fisheries, Redwood National Park staff
• FOX 5/KUSI (San Diego): Could NOAA layoffs affect San Diego?
• Monterey County Now (Seaside, Calif.): At least six local NOAA employees are terminated in sweeping federal firings
• John Fleck at Inkstain: Blog: Wrecking ball report: At Reclamation, a view from the inside