California Water Digest — 2026-07-24
20 item(s) from 10 source(s); 17 flagged (🔔) for your blog keywords.
📰 News & Policy
🔔 DAILY DIGEST, 7/23: CA wants to build Sites Reservoir, but there may not be enough water to fill it; Cyclosporiasis outbreak: How a parasite spawned chaos for FDA, Taylor Farms; San Bernardino water agency reduces property tax rate for State Water Project; New Colorado River rules are coming next week, and states still can’t agree how to share water; and more …
Maven’s Notebook — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 16:00:44 +0000
[cmtoctableofcontents] Several news sources featured in the Daily Digest may limit the number of articles you can access without a subscription. However, gift articles and open-access links are provided when available. For more open access California water news articles, explore the main page at MavensNotebook.com. On the calendar today … MEETING: Delta Stewardship Council beginning at 9:30am. Age…
🔔 Deadline to file for host of water board seats is Aug. 7
SJV Water — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 21:27:18 +0000
Reading Summary: Water Board Election Deadlines, Kern County
Key Facts
- Filing deadline for Kern County water board seats is August 7; elections are in November
- Kern County Water Agency (KCWA) has 4 of its 7 director seats up for election; as of July 23, only 2 incumbents (Jay Kroeker, Division 1; Charles “Bill” Wulff Jr., Division 5) have filed
- KCWA is the second largest State Water Project contractor in California, giving it significant statewide influence
- KCWA is one of 6 entities controlling the Kern Water Bank and one of 3 members governing the Kern River Groundwater Sustainability Agency
- At least 11 other Kern County water districts have open seats in this same election cycle
Who Is Affected
- Residents of east Bakersfield (KCWA wholesale water service area)
- 13 agricultural member unit water districts receiving State Water Project water through KCWA
- Appointees without voter mandates: Laura Cattani (Division 2, appointed 2021) and Tamara Johnson (Division 4, appointed 2025)
- Communities served by smaller districts: Antelope Valley, Buttonwillow, Lebec, Mettler, Tehachapi, Indian Wells Valley, and others
Policy/Legal Angle
- No specific laws or court decisions cited, but relevant frameworks implied:
- SGMA (Sustainable Groundwater Management Act) — KCWA governs the Kern River Groundwater Sustainability Agency, which sets pumping limits
- State Water Project contracts — KCWA’s position as second-largest contractor shapes its role in infrastructure financing debates (e.g., Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta tunnel)
- Property tax funding — triggers public election requirement for board seats
Blog Angles
- Accountability gap for appointees: Both Division 2 (Cattani, 2021) and Division 4 (Johnson, 2025) seats are held by appointees who have never faced voters — and no one has filed for either race. Why is public engagement so low for boards wielding this much power?
- Delta tunnel financing stakes: The article notes that state regulators consult KCWA alongside Metropolitan Water District on major infrastructure financing. Who wins these four seats could directly shape Kern’s position on the tunnel — worth a deep dive before August 7.
- Down-ballot water democracy: With 11+ districts holding open seats simultaneously, is Kern County experiencing a civic engagement crisis in water governance, and what are the structural barriers (awareness, compensation, filing complexity) keeping candidates away?
🔔 ACWA East Enhancing Advocacy Opportunities for Members in Washington
ACWA — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 14:15:43 +0000
Reading Summary: ACWA East Enhancing Advocacy Opportunities for Members in Washington
Key Facts
- ACWA East is a three-person federal team led by Director of Federal Relations Ian Lyle, with representatives Caleb Raspler and Libby Spekhardt
- Three ACWA-supported Senate bills recently cleared committee and are eligible for a full Senate floor vote: reauthorization of the Snow Water Supply Forecasting Program, expansion of large-scale water recycling, and establishment of a Water Project Navigators program
- ACWA has rejoined the National Water Resources Association (NWRA), a western water policy federation — all ACWA member agencies gain access to NWRA benefits at no additional cost
- Federal funding consistently ranks as a top concern among ACWA member agencies
- ACWA is positioning priorities for inclusion in the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), covering Army Corps projects in water supply, drought resiliency, and dam safety
Who Is Affected
- ACWA member agencies across California (water utilities and districts)
- Communities relying on drinking water infrastructure funding via State Revolving Funds
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers project stakeholders (dam safety, reservoir operations)
Policy/Legal Angle
- Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) — vehicle for Army Corps project authorizations
- Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds — appropriations advocacy
- Safe Drinking Water Act — PFAS contaminant regulation
- National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) — permitting efficiency for environmental reviews
- PFAS Maximum Contaminant Levels — compliance deadlines being extended (per related comment letters listed)
Blog Angles
- The Water Project Navigators Program: What exactly would this program do, and which California communities — particularly small or disadvantaged water systems — stand to benefit most from a federal navigator helping them access infrastructure funding?
- ACWA rejoining NWRA: Why did ACWA leave NWRA previously, and what does rejoining signal about the current political landscape for western water policy in Washington?
- PFAS compliance deadline extension: The sidebar comment letters reveal EPA is extending PFOA/PFOS MCL compliance deadlines — is this a relief for struggling water systems or a rollback that puts public health at risk?
The California water way of life - UC Agriculture and Natural Resources
Google News — CA water — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 20:27:38 GMT
The California water way of life UC Agriculture and Natural Resources
🔔 Groundwater pumping increases subsidence creating major damage - Manteca Bulletin
Google News — groundwater/SGMA — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 09:29:35 GMT
Groundwater pumping increases subsidence creating major damage Manteca Bulletin
🔔 New Colorado River rules are coming next week, and states still can’t agree how to share water - Colorado Public Radio
Google News — Colorado River — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 10:02:55 GMT
New Colorado River rules are coming next week, and states still can’t agree how to share water Colorado Public Radio
🔔 California Begins $2.37 Million Salmon Spawning Habitat Restoration on Feather River in Oroville - edhat
Google News — state agencies — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 18:28:53 GMT
California Begins $2.37 Million Salmon Spawning Habitat Restoration on Feather River in Oroville edhat
🔔 AG ALERT: Researchers study potential of agave crop
Maven’s Notebook — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 15:56:48 +0000
By Manola Secaira, Ag Alert On a hot morning in June, dozens of agave plants took root in the soil of Madera County. The plant has long been grown in parts of Mexico to make tequila and mezcal. But in California, it’s only more recently gotten attention from Central Valley farmers seeking options as they face water shortages and the prospect of fallowing land. Researchers say agave could be a usef…
🔔 Spotlight July 2026: Contra Costa Water District Celebrates 90 Years
ACWA — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 14:10:08 +0000
Reading Summary: CCWD Celebrates 90 Years (ACWA Spotlight, July 2026)
Key Facts
- Contra Costa Water District (CCWD) was formed in 1936 and serves approximately 550,000 people in central and eastern Contra Costa County with a staff of 330 employees
- The 48-mile Contra Costa Canal began construction in 1937 and was fully completed in 1948, with first water deliveries reaching Pittsburg by 1940
- Los Vaqueros Reservoir was authorized by voters in 1988 at 100,000 acre-feet; expanded in the early 2010s by an additional 60,000 acre-feet, making it one of the largest reservoirs in the Bay Area
- CCWD’s Canal Replacement Program will replace the open canal with a fully buried pipeline; construction scheduled to begin in 2032
- CCWD Board President Ernie Avila currently serves as ACWA President, only the second CCWD member to hold that role (after Bette Boatmun, 2002–03 term)
Who Is Affected
- Residents and industries of central and eastern Contra Costa County
- Sacramento-San Joaquin Bay-Delta ecosystem, which CCWD draws from and directly impacts through operations
- Endangered species in the Los Vaqueros watershed: red-legged frog, Alameda whipsnake, and golden eagles
- CCWD’s wholesale water customers (district operates as both retailer and wholesaler)
Policy/Legal Angle
- No specific laws or court decisions are cited, but the article references CCWD’s navigation of federal Central Valley Project commitments dating to the 1930s, driven by congressional advocacy from Richmond attorney Thomas Carlson
- Ongoing relevance of Bay-Delta salinity and water quality regulations, which shaped CCWD’s infrastructure investments over nine decades
- Los Vaqueros expansion and Canal Replacement Program implicate California infrastructure permitting and climate resilience planning frameworks
Blog Angles
- Is the Canal Replacement Program fundable? With construction not starting until 2032, what federal or state funding mechanisms (e.g., Drinking Water SRF, infrastructure bills) is CCWD pursuing — and how does it compete for dollars against other aging-infrastructure projects statewide?
- Los Vaqueros as a model for off-stream storage: Given ongoing debates over new storage projects in California, does Los Vaqueros’s history — first new dam in California in 15+ years, built on time and under budget — offer transferable lessons for projects like Sites Reservoir?
- Bay-Delta salinity and the next 90 years: With climate change intensifying both drought cycles and salinity intrusion, how future-proof is CCWD’s current infrastructure, and what does the Canal Replacement Program actually solve versus what risks remain?
🔔 California dodges a bullet on Colorado River cuts - Los Angeles Times
Google News — CA water — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 21:57:15 GMT
California dodges a bullet on Colorado River cuts Los Angeles Times
🔔 Data center developer sues for right to use Colorado River water in thirsty California county - KLAS 8 News Now
Google News — Colorado River — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 17:23:38 GMT
Data center developer sues for right to use Colorado River water in thirsty California county KLAS 8 News Now
🔔 COMMENTARY: Advancing groundwater recharge in the Sacramento River basin: A strong technical foundation
Maven’s Notebook — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 15:56:10 +0000
By David Guy and Jim Peifer Groundwater recharge is one of the most important and affordable tools available to help California prepare for dry years, improve water supply reliability and support healthy rivers, landscapes and communities. During winter storms, millions of acre-feet of water flow through the Sacramento Valley, creating opportunities to store more water underground and strengthen C…
EMWD Recognized for Procuring Value for its Customers
ACWA — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 22:02:42 +0000
Reading Summary: EMWD Recognized for Procurement Excellence
Key Facts
- Eastern Municipal Water District (EMWD) received the National Procurement Institute’s Achievement of Excellence in Procurement Award for the 13th consecutive year and 17th time overall
- In 2025, EMWD’s procurement efforts yielded $3.3 million in cost savings or costs avoided
- EMWD is one of 30 special districts nationwide to receive the award
- EMWD serves more than one million people across a 682-square-mile service area in western Riverside County and northern San Diego County
- EMWD is California’s sixth-largest retail water agency
Who Is Affected
- Ratepayers and customers within EMWD’s service area in western Riverside County and northern San Diego County
- EMWD’s purchasing and contracts staff, recognized through Board President Stephen Corona
Policy/Legal Angle
- No specific laws or regulations cited; the award framework centers on government procurement best practices (innovation, electronic procurement, competitive bidding)
Blog Angles
- Benchmarking special district procurement: How do EMWD’s $3.3M in savings compare to similarly sized California water agencies — and why aren’t more districts pursuing this award?
- Ratepayer value metrics: What specific contracts or bid processes drove the 2025 savings, and are those strategies replicable statewide?
- Special district accountability: Does consistent procurement recognition translate to lower rates for customers, and how does EMWD’s performance compare to its Riverside/San Diego County neighbors?
🔔 Western Reservoirs Supplying California Hit Record Lows - KFI AM 640
Google News — CA water — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 20:31:00 GMT
Western Reservoirs Supplying California Hit Record Lows KFI AM 640
🔔 EDWARD RING: Dredging the Delta can prevent a catastrophe
Maven’s Notebook — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 15:55:41 +0000
By Edward Ring, Director of Water and Energy Policy at the California Policy Center It’s January 2027, and for the last few months, a super El Nino has already delivered torrential rains to the Pacific Coast of North America. California’s reservoirs have been releasing record quantities of water to preserve space for the next round of precipitation but their remaining capacity to absorb runoff is …
🔔 San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District Board Reduces Property Tax Rate
ACWA — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 16:06:41 +0000
Reading Summary: San Bernardino Valley MWD Board Reduces Property Tax Rate
Key Facts
- The Board unanimously voted to cut the annual property tax rate by nearly 64%, from $0.11 to $0.04 per $100 of assessed value
- The reduction will leave approximately $60 million in taxpayers’ hands this year, against a projected ~$100 million in annual SWP costs
- San Bernardino Valley MWD is the 5th largest of 29 State Water Contractors, with an annual entitlement of up to 102,600 acre-feet/year (enough for 300,000+ households)
- Alternative revenue sources enabling the cut include funds from dissolved Redevelopment Agencies and earned interest income
- The district serves ~734,000 people across 353 square miles in southwestern San Bernardino County, supplying 15 retail agencies
Who Is Affected
- Property owners within the district’s service area (Fontana to Calimesa)
- 15 retail water agencies receiving wholesale water
- Communities in southwestern San Bernardino County and a portion of Riverside County
Policy/Legal Angle
- Property tax authority was voter-authorized in the 1960s specifically to fund SWP obligations; taxes are legally restricted to that purpose
- The district operates under a State Water Contract with the Department of Water Resources (DWR)
- Funded infrastructure includes Oroville Dam, San Luis Reservoir, the California Aqueduct, and Lake Silverwood
- Revenue from Redevelopment Agency dissolutions (a legacy of California’s 2011 RDA elimination) is now being redirected to offset tax burden
Blog Angles
- The RDA windfall question: How much dissolved Redevelopment Agency money is flowing to water agencies statewide, and is this a sustainable or one-time revenue offset that masks future rate shock?
- SWP cost transparency: With ~$100M in annual SWP costs and large infrastructure projects still in the permitting pipeline, what happens to the tax rate when those projects break ground — and are ratepayers being given a realistic long-term picture?
- Equity and governance model: The district operates as a wholesale agency serving 15 retailers across a large, diverse region — does a reduced property tax rate translate into actual savings for end users, or do retail agency markups absorb the benefit?
🔔 INSIDE CLIMATE NEWS: Global warming unmakes winter in the West
Maven’s Notebook — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 15:54:36 +0000
A new climate attribution study shows that heating from greenhouse gases could drive extreme snow droughts in the region every third year by 2050. By Bob Berwyn, Inside Climate News This article originally appeared on Inside Climate News, a nonprofit, non-partisan news organization that covers climate, energy and the environment. Sign up for their newsletter here. For millions of people across the…
⚖️ Courts & Legal
San Diego water rate proposal could raise bills for low water users - NBC 7 San Diego
Google News — water litigation — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 07:00:00 GMT
San Diego water rate proposal could raise bills for low water users NBC 7 San Diego
🪶 California Tribal Water
🔔 Agua Caliente Band Lobbies Telegraph Advisors on Water Rights - Legis1
Google News — tribal water rights — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 22:14:47 GMT
Agua Caliente Band Lobbies Telegraph Advisors on Water Rights Legis1
🔔 Hoopa Valley Museum marks 50 years preserving living tribal cultural patrimony - KRCR
Google News — tribal water (named tribes) — Tue, 14 Jul 2026 07:00:00 GMT
Hoopa Valley Museum marks 50 years preserving living tribal cultural patrimony KRCR
🏛️ Water Board Agendas
✍️ Blog Writing Prompts
Flagged items worth writing about today:
- DAILY DIGEST, 7/23: CA wants to build Sites Reservoir, but there may not be enough water to fill it; Cyclosporiasis outbreak: How a parasite spawned chaos for FDA, Taylor Farms; San Bernardino water agency reduces property tax rate for State Water Project; New Colorado River rules are coming next week, and states still can’t agree how to share water; and more …
- Deadline to file for host of water board seats is Aug. 7
- ACWA East Enhancing Advocacy Opportunities for Members in Washington
- Groundwater pumping increases subsidence creating major damage - Manteca Bulletin
- New Colorado River rules are coming next week, and states still can’t agree how to share water - Colorado Public Radio
- California Begins $2.37 Million Salmon Spawning Habitat Restoration on Feather River in Oroville - edhat
- Agua Caliente Band Lobbies Telegraph Advisors on Water Rights - Legis1
- Hoopa Valley Museum marks 50 years preserving living tribal cultural patrimony - KRCR