Earth Systems Out of Balance

You might feel like our natural world is out of balance right now and with good reason: The first tornado of 2025 touched down not in the Midwest’s ‘Tornado Alley’, but in Northern California’s Tehama County, followed within days by fires that exploded across Southern California. All within the first week of January. 

Both events were driven by weather extremes that are becoming more common throughout California and the world. Extreme wind patterns played a role in both. The fires were driven by record Santa Ana winds and extreme soil moisture levels of just 2 percent to 5 percent of average across much of Southern California – conditions that can draw so much moisture from living plants that fires become almost unstoppable.

It turns out the sense of imbalance is real. Recent research indicates that the system that moves water around the Earth is off balance for the first time in human history – and humanity has a lot to do with it.

Many of you know the water cycle from the Project WET activity ‘The Incredible Journey’ in which students physically simulate the complex system by which water moves around the Earth. Students travel through the water cycle as water molecules in all their phases (solid, liquid and gas). In doing so, they explore the invisible links connecting Earth’s glaciers and snowpacks, rivers, lakes, plants, animals, soil, aquifers, the ocean and atmosphere.

In the water cycle, water evaporates and rises into the atmosphere, forming large rivers of vapor that travel long distances before cooling, condensing and eventually falling as rain, snow, hail or sleet. These long, narrow rivers in the sky transport water vapor out of the tropics. Atmospheric rivers can vary in size and strength, but according to NOAA the average atmospheric river carries an amount of vapor roughly equivalent to the average flow of water at the mouth of the Mississippi River.

Just a few atmospheric river storms within our short November to March precipitation season deliver the majority of California’s annual water supply. However, these storms also bring the strongest winds and can create extreme rainfall and floods that may disrupt travel, induce mudslides and cause catastrophic damage to life and property. And they are increasing in intensity as more water enters a warming atmosphere.

The impact of a warming atmosphere fueling these more intense storms can be observed in the classroom with the very simple model provided by Project WET’s ‘The Incredible Journey’ activity. The cubes students are rolling at each location are weighted to simulate how water moves between Earth’s systems. Speeding up the activity to the beat of fast-tempo music or by giving students a set time to reach 10 stations energizes the students to move just as greater heat energizes water molecules.

You can also add extra cubes to the soil, plant, glacier and surface water locations to simulate the increased evaporation that is being observed worldwide. With these changes, the entire class will quickly see far greater buildup of students (water molecules) at the cloud station. It also gives them a better understanding of how increasing warmth in the atmosphere speeds up water cycling on Earth. It usually generates a lot of great questions.

One of those questions may be how the increase in evaporation is affecting the stations with the extra cubes in real-life. Erratic weather patterns driving cycles of flood and drought are characteristic of California’s Mediterranean climate, but the swings are already becoming more severe. Record low moisture in vegetation and soil has set the stage for record-breaking wildfires for the past decade and a half. More severe winds have driven most of those fires.

In that same time, California has experienced three of the most severe droughts, record snowpacks and floods, nearly a quarter of recorded tornado incidents since 1950 and a very rare tropical storm. ‘Weather whiplash’ is no longer just a media talking point. It has become our reality in California.

The evidence is resounding that humanity’s water and energy use is driving this imbalance in Earth’s water cycle. Your students can explore the current global distribution of water in the Project WET activity ‘A Drop in the Bucket’ and how much water is available per person on the planet. This breakdown per person implies all the water on Earth is just for humans – which it is not. All life on Earth – including us – and the processes that maintain that life depend on this water.

However, students can begin to discover for themselves how great the human demand for water is by looking at the U.S. Geological Survey report, ‘Water Use in the United States,’ that is referenced in the ‘Drop in the Bucket’ activity. The figures have not been updated in a decade, but at 322 billion gallons per day in 2015 they still show the scale at which we are using water just in our country.

The data is broken down by state and water use categories. Thermo-electric power production in the Eastern states and irrigation in the West are the primary uses of water. What isn’t in the report is the greenhouse gas emissions from energy consumption associated with each water category, which would be a great challenge for older students to investigate. California uses more water than any other state and uses a tremendous amount energy to move and treat that water.

The impact of humanity’s water use and greenhouse gas emissions goes beyond just accelerating the water cycle. It is also affecting the length of day and the tilt of the Earth. The findings come from two recent NASA-funded studies on how the climate-related redistribution of water has affected Earth’s rotation.

In recent decades, according to the first study, the faster melting of ice sheets into water has shifted mass from the poles toward the equatorial ocean. This shift causes Earth’s rotation to decelerate and the day to lengthen, like when an ice skater lowers and spreads their arms to slow a spin. The days on Earth are growing slightly longer, and that change is accelerating.

The second study, which focused on Earth’s change in tilt, discovered the global pumping of groundwater was contributing to the change. The researchers calculated that as much as 2,150 gigatons of groundwater was pumped from 1993 through 2010 primarily for irrigation and human use. The groundwater eventually reaches the ocean along with water from melted ice sheets, adding to sea level rise.

The researchers noted that by bringing so much groundwater to the surface, this redistribution of mass is “like adding a tiny bit of weight to a spinning top.” The redistribution is directly tied to the observed change in the Earth’s tilt of roughly 31.5 inches and causing the planet’s axis to meander by about 30 feet (10 meters) in the past 120 years. “In barely 100 years, human beings have altered the climate system to such a degree that we’re seeing the impact on the very way the planet spins,” one of the authors said.

Depletion of groundwater is not just happening globally, it’s happening in many areas of California, especially in the San Joaquin Valley. The local impacts there have been substantial: It’s not just the loss of future underground storage, some parts of the valley floor dropped more than 30 feet between the 1920s and the 1970s. That subsidence has continued, dropping as much as a foot a year in some locations since 2006.

Despite how disturbing the findings of these NASA-funded studies may be for some, the researchers also stated the lengthening of the day due to ice and groundwater changes could decelerate by 2100 if greenhouse gas emissions were severely reduced. Likewise the researchers believe, based on California Department of Water Resources calculations, that there is enough surplus water in most years to halt further subsidence in the San Joaquin Valley if that surplus is sent to the most critically affected areas.

This is where relationships among community members – water and energy users all – are vital. That is the focus of the Project WET activity ‘Water For All’ (formerly “8-4-1, One For All). In our California climate workshops, each participant is given the title of one of the eight categories of water users. This added detail really helps students and adults better clarify their position and how it relates to others. When they then sit in groups around chart paper with members from each water user category, they map out their connections to the community water supplies.

In addition to their use of water, we also ask each community of water users to identify likely sources of greenhouse gas emissions. Students can be tasked to investigate what the real-life water users they represent are doing to conserve water and reduce or eliminate greenhouse gas emissions. Or a local water, utility or municipal agency speaker working on climate planning for your area could fill this role as it does in our climate workshops. Students then return to their community maps to highlight opportunities where they can reduce or eliminate water use and greenhouse gas emissions in their community.     

What I love about this version of the ’Water For All’ activity is it gets discussion and problem-solving ideas flowing among students of any age – each one a community member and consumer of water and energy. Yes, changes are occurring on a global scale and investing time and effort on a personal and community level may seem insignificant. But we have reached this point as individuals and communities adopted the fossil fuel-reliant tools of the industrial revolution.

We have the 21^st century tools and knowledge to reign in greenhouse gas production and water use. It is just a question of how soon we can overcome the industrial age tools and mindset to moderate or reverse our current course. Monitoring earth systems will continue to be vital to this effort, and a new Project WET ‘Water In Earth Systems’ guide will be coming out in April loaded with activities to help engage students in exploring the role of water on Earth!

The new Project WET guides will be featured in our Kern County and Imperial County climate workshops in April and May, and in the California Water Institutes and Forestry Institutes for Teachers this summer. You will find more about these workshops in the Professional Development Opportunities section of this Gazette. There are also a variety of Websites of Interest to pair with the activities in the article, and a list of upcoming Spring Events and Grants, Awards & Student Opportunities.

I hope you have a wonderful spring!

WEBSITES OF INTEREST

NBC News: Climate change is throwing the water cycle into chaos across the U.S.

The water cycle that shuttles Earth’s most vital resource around in an unending, life-giving loop is in trouble. Climate change has disrupted that cycle’s delicate balance, upsetting how water circulates between the ground, oceans and atmosphere.

The Conversation: How rising water vapour in the atmosphere is amplifying warming and making extreme weather worse

In many ways, water vapour is the most important greenhouse gas as it makes Earth habitable. But human-induced climate change is primarily caused by increases in the long-lived greenhouse gases carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, methane and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs).

CalMatters: ‘Literally off the charts’: LA’s critically dry conditions stun scientists

Key moisture measurements are only 2% to 5% of average, leaving dusty soils. And the recent swing from wet to dry is among the most extreme on record. This combination of climatic conditions crossed into a danger zone, priming much of Southern California for wind-whipped fires.

ABC News: How rare are tornadoes in California?

There have been 469 tornadoes reported between 1951 and 2022, according to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. On average, that’s more than six per year. In the last three decades, there has been an average of more than nine in the state.

San Francisco Chronicle: California weather has undergone an important shift

Spring has warmed across much of the United States over recent decades, according to an analysis released Wednesday by Climate Central, an independent group of scientists and communicators. Californians across the state felt the impacts, with all 58 counties experiencing warmer springs from 1970 to 2024. 

Yale News: Intense ribbons of rain also bring the heat, Yale scientists say

The environmental threat posed by atmospheric rivers — long, narrow ribbons of water vapor in the sky — doesn’t come only in the form of concentrated, torrential downpours and severe flooding characteristic of these natural phenomena. According to a new Yale study, they also cause extreme warm temperatures and moist heatwaves.

The Conversation: Atmospheric rivers are hitting the Arctic more often, and increasingly melting its sea ice

Atmospheric rivers, those long, powerful streams of moisture in the sky, are becoming more frequent in the Arctic, and they’re helping to drive dramatic shrinking of the Arctic’s sea ice cover. 

National Center for Atmospheric Research: Changes in store for atmospheric rivers

Communities up and down the West Coast of the United States can expect the potent storms known as atmospheric rivers to evolve as the climate warms. But residents in Southern California will see much different changes than residents in more northerly locations like Seattle.

NCEI: Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters

The U.S. has sustained 403 weather and climate disasters since 1980 where overall damages/costs reached or exceeded $1 billion. In 2024, there were 27 confirmed weather/climate disaster events with losses exceeding $1 billion each to affect United States, according to the National Centers for Environmental Information 

Associated Press: Hundreds of weather forecasters fired in latest wave of DOGE cuts

Hundreds of weather forecasters and other federal National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration employees were fired in March, included meteorologists who do crucial local forecasts in National Weather Service offices across the country. Click here to hear fired NOAA researchers talk about the work they did protecting the northern California coast.

UCLA Center for Climate Science: The Future of Extreme Precipitation in California

Projections from global climate models lead us to expect that future precipitation in California will change. It’s unlikely the biggest change will be in overall amount of precipitation the state gets. Instead, the character of precipitation will change, with more intense atmospheric rivers and longer dry spells between them.

California Department of Water Resources: California WATER WATCH

Climate change has fundamentally altered our state’s hydrologic system – intensifying severe weather as we swing from extreme dry to extreme wet situations. Extensive coordination with State and Federal agencies is being done, to both ensure reservoirs have flood space in case of another flood year and that as much water as possible will be stored in case of drought conditions.

Popular Mechanics: Earth Has Tilted 31.5 Inches. That Shouldn’t Happen.

Pumping Earth’s groundwater can change the planet’s tilt and rotation. It can also impact sea-level rise and other consequences of climate change. Thanks to a study —published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters—we can see that, in less than two decades, Earth has tilted 31.5 inches as a result of pumping groundwater.

Jet Propulsion Laboratory: NASA-Funded Studies Explain How Climate Is Changing Earth’s Rotation

Researchers used more than 120 years of data to decipher how melting ice, dwindling groundwater, and rising seas are nudging the planet’s spin axis and lengthening days.

ABC News: Stanford study documents sinking in San Joaquin Valley and looks for potential solutions

With views stretching off to the horizon, it’s hard to visualize the San Joaquin Valley sinking–unless, of course, you have a measuring stick about the size of a telephone pole. We found a photograph of one in the archives of the United States Geological Survey.

U.S. Geological Survey: Total Water Use in the United States

The water in the Nation’s rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and underground aquifers are vitally important to our everyday life. These water bodies supply the water to serve the needs of every human and for the world’s ecological systems, too. USGS compiles county, state, and national water withdrawal and use data for a number of water-use categories.

PPIC: Water Use in California

California measures water use across three main sectors. On average, communities use 10%, agriculture uses 40% of water statewide, and the environment uses 50%. These proportions vary depending on the region and whether the year is wet or dry.

POLITICO: A new survival strategy for Central Valley farmers

Facing a future with less water, the country’s largest agricultural water district is turning from growing nuts, vegetables, fruit and beef to a new crop: solar power. Westlands Water District is making plans to convert some 200 square miles — an area roughly the size of Detroit — into  the largest solar installation in the world.

OEHHA: 2022 Report: Indicators of Climate Change in California

The Indicators of Climate Change in California report documents observed changes in the state’s climate and its impacts in the state. Indicators are scientific measurements that track trends and conditions relating to climate change. Collectively, the indicators portray a statewide picture of how climate change has been impacting the environment and people of California.

Potential Energy Coalition: Unnatural Disasters

For most people, climate change seems too big, too complicated and too political. To get people to engage with this issue and demand solutions, we use an approach built around human-centered stories that capture their imaginations, make the problem easy to digest and present solutions that are within reach.

US Geological Survey: Water Science School

Tap into over 140 years of USGS research in the natural sciences for use with multiple Project WET activities, including water cycle images in multiple languages, an updated water cycle integrating human use, and pool and flux data to kick ‘The Incredible Journey’ activity into the advanced high school level! 

California Department of Water Resources: Education

We provide a variety of resources to K-12 educators to encourage water education in and out of the classroom. Our free supplementary materials can be used to help learn about California’s water resources. Check out our ‘Water Wednesdays’ You Tube page for conversations with DWR researchers on a range of water topics.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES 

California Project WET Workshops

Join us this spring for Project WET workshops focused on the current water challenges fueled by a changing climate in California – and how to use the interdisciplinary activities of Project WET to engage K-12 students through the lens of water to increase their environmental literacy. Upcoming workshops in Kern and Imperial counties!

Climate Science Uncovered: Essential Books and Hands-On Tools

Join us on April 5^th at Whiskeytown Environmental School for a targeted professional development day focused on integrating climate change education with ELA and inquiry-based science. This session is tailored to meet the diverse needs of educators, from classroom teachers in K-8 to outdoor educators, ensuring everyone leaves with actionable strategies and a solution-focused mindset.

CREEC Region 6 Professional Learning and Networking Meeting

Join us on April 5^th at Durham Ferry Outdoor Education Center to connect with fellow environmental educators. We’ll be diving into an Environmental Literacy Overview and enjoying some outdoor learning experiences. We are pleased to offer the first 20 educator participants a stipend of $125 for their time and engagement.

Universal Design for Learning in Environmental Education

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a teaching approach that works to accommodate the needs and abilities of all learners and eliminates unnecessary barriers in the learning process. This roughly 6-week online course takes approximately 12 hours to complete. The course runs from April 30th through June 15th, 2025.

California Water Institutes for Teachers

These multi-day events for K-12 teachers focus on the water supply and infrastructure that serve the local area of each institute, while providing teachers with a greater depth of knowledge and tools to engage students in learning about their local watersheds within the context of the statewide water system. Our 2025 institutes will occur in Butte, Sacramento and Solano Counties!

Forestry Institute for Teachers

Enjoy a week with natural resource professionals and advocates gaining a deeper understanding of forest ecosystems and human use of natural resources. Participants receive a high-quality professional development experience focused on interdisciplinary content and practices at the heart of current forest issues – as well as Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards. 

California Environmental Education Interagency Network

This is a consortium of environmental educators representing state departments and partner organizations. Educators can find a variety of workshops and other participatory opportunities on our online events calendar to increase their environmental literacy on California natural resource topics and issues. 

SPRING EVENTS

Mar. 22: World Water Day

The theme ‘Glacier Preservation’ is all about working together to put glacier preservation at the core of our plans to tackle climate change. Rapidly melting glaciers are causing uncertainty to water flows critical for drinking water, agriculture, industry, clean energy production and healthy ecosystems, with profound impacts on people and the planet.

Apr. 7: International Beaver Day

This day is a fine time to hike to a beaver pond, arrange a display of books in your library, and/or otherwise spread the word about nature’s engineer. Human-made (mitigation) wetlands cost from $10,000 to 100,000 per acre to build, while each beaver family creates and maintains several acres of wetlands—for free!   

Apr. 22: Earth Day

The 2025 theme - Our Power, Our Planet - calls us commit to harnessing renewable energy to build a healthy, sustainable, equitable and prosperous future for us all. It’s the collective voice of concerned citizens that pushes governments and corporations to make bold commitments and take decisive action. 

Apr. 19 – 27: National Park Week

If you love our national parks, please join us for this week celebrating  everything “parks”. Entrance fees will be waived on April 19 to kick off the celebration and to encourage everyone to enjoy their national parks in person. National Parks will host events and activities all week.

Apr. 23-24: Children’s Water Education Festival

The Orange County Water District (OCWD) is proud to present the award-winning Children’s Water Education Festival. The Festival educates third, fourth and fifth grade students about local water issues and the environment and helps them understand how they can protect water supplies and their environment.

May 1 – 31: California Water Awareness Month

As we head into the dry summer months in California, the month of May is a time to show our appreciation for the water that fuels our economy and sustains our ecosystems. Rain or shine, Californians always need to use their water wisely. Conservation is a way of life.

May 2: Big Day of Giving

Big Day of Giving, a 24-hour online fundraising giving challenge. Your gift can help us train more Project WET facilitators and expand our workshops to educators throughout California. You can learn more at our Big Day of Giving page. Thank you for being part of the Project WET community!

May 2 – 4:  AEOE Statewide Spring Conference

Join the Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education for a fun weekend of learning and networking in Marin County at Walker Creek Ranch near Petaluma! The conference includes 40+ workshops, a resource fair, live and silent auction, evening entertainment, and more.

Jun. 7 – 15: California Invasive Species Action Week                   

The goals of the California Invasive Species Action Week are to increase public awareness of invasive species issues and promote public participation in the fight against California’s invasive species and their impacts on our natural resources. Don’t forget to check out the Project WET activity ‘Invaders’!

Jun. 8: World Ocean Day

World Ocean Day 2025 is shaping up to the biggest ever for ocean & climate action around out multi-year action theme: Catalyzing Action for Our Ocean & Climate. Together, we are growing the movement for a more sustainable society and a healthy blue planet.

SCHOOL GRANTS, AWARDS & OPPORTUNITIES

Tree & Water Conservation Rebates

Thinking about starting a turf replacement project? If you live withing the Metropolitan Water District’s service area, you can receive a $100 rebate per tree for up to five trees planted while you replace your grass with a beautiful California Friendly® landscape! 

California Climate Investments Program

California Climate Investments programs are continuing to direct billions of dollars into our State’s transition to a low‑carbon and more equitable future. Explore our website to learn about available funding opportunities for schools, universities, non-profits, tribal governments, land conservancies, farmers, businesses and individuals!

Early Childhood Education Grants: Due Apr. 1, 2025

The Frances R. Dewing Foundation supports innovation in early childhood education and accepts applications from United States based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations and government entities such as schools and school districts. The foundation provides seed money in the form of small grants, generally ranging from $1000 to $25,000. 

Karma for Cara Microgrant Program: Due Apr. 1, 2025

Students 18 years of age and under may apply for funds between $250 and $1,000 for service projects in their communities throughout the United States. Whether you turn a vacant lot into a community garden, rebuild a school playground or help senior citizens ready their homes for the winter, we want to hear what project you’re passionate about!

Spark Good Local Grants Program: Due April 15, 2025

Walmart believes that investing in local communities strengthens our business as well as the communities we serve. Walmart U.S. stores, Sam’s Clubs and Distribution Centers award local cash grants ranging from $250 to $5000 to support local organizations that meet the unique needs of the communities where we operate.

Toshiba America Foundation 6-12 Grant: Due May 1, 2025

Do you teach in a middle and high school classroom and have an innovative idea for improving STEM learning in your classroom with measurable outcomes? Sixth to 12th grade teachers are invited to apply on-line for a Toshiba America Foundation grant for more than $5,000 to help bring an innovative project into their own classroom. 

Toshiba America Foundation 6-12 Grant: Due June 1, 2025

Do you teach in a middle and high school classroom and have an innovative idea for improving STEM learning in your classroom with measurable outcomes? Sixth to 12th grade teachers are invited to apply on-line for a Toshiba America Foundation grant of up to $5,000 to help bring an innovative project into their own classroom. 

STUDENT CONTESTS & AWARDS

The Forestry Challenge

The Forestry Challenge is an academic event for high school students in technical forestry and current forestry topics. Participants spend four days in the forest learning about the ecology and management of the forested landscapes that provide communities with water, recreational opportunities, wood products, and wildlife habitat. Fall 2025 Pre-registration – Now Open!  

Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes: Due Apr. 15, 2025

The prize honors 25 outstanding young leaders ages 8 to 18 from across the US and Canada who have made a significant positive impact on people, their communities, and the environment. The top ten winners each receive a $10,000 to be applied to their higher education or to their service project. 

Stockholm Junior Water Prize: Due Apr. 15, 2025

The California Water Environment Association invites high school students who have conducted a water-science research project to register for the Stockholm Junior Water Prize competition. The winner of the California SJWP prize will receive a complimentary trip to the national competition.  

Brower Youth Awards: Due May 20, 2025

It is with the spirit of renowned environmental advocate David Brower that we recognize the outstanding leadership efforts of young people ages 13 to 22 who are working for the protection of our shared planet. Award recipients will receive a $3,000 cash prize, a short film produced about their work, and flight and lodging accommodations for a weeklong trip to the San Francisco Bay Area.

Climate Storytelling Challenge: Due May 29, 2025

Climate change is impacting communities in California and across the globe. The California Coastal Commission invites you to answer the prompt below through a podcast, photo essay, or narrative essay. For California middle and high school students.

Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Student Contest: Due Jun. 9, 2025

The 2025 contest theme ‘Connections to Nature: Looking Inside, Going Outside’ encourages you to explore the natural world and your place in it. Share your relationship with the natural world through art, writing, performance, film, or multimedia. Students ages 11-18 from around the world are invited to participate.

CREDITS

California Project WET Gazette is published by the Water Education Foundation, which serves as the state coordinator and host institution for Project WET USA, a program of the Project WET Foundation

This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. Geological Survey under Cooperative Agreement # G23AC00673. The views and conclusions contained in this document are those of the authors and should not be interpreted as representing the opinions or policies of the U.S. Geological Survey. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute their endorsement by the U.S. Geological Survey.

Editor: Brian Brown, California Project WET Coordinator

 

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