An archive of articles that where displayed on the River Watch main home page.
By Kurtis Alexander, Staff WriterOct 26, 2026 Six years ago, scientists in the Pacific Northwest untangled a mystery about why salmon were dying in the region, often in astonishing numbers — with as many as 90% of the migrating adult coho salmon perishing in parts of Puget Sound. The culprit turned out to be a toxic […]
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May 20, 2025 PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals,” have emerged as a serious environmental and public health threat due to their persistence and widespread contamination. These man-made chemicals, widely utilized in consumer and industrial products since World War II, are now linked to alarming levels of contamination in drinking water supplies and health risks […]
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Shielding communities from flooding and sea level rise, while filtering toxins, these critical coastal water bodies need protection. For more information, contactNick Cahill From Humboldt Bay south to San Diego Bay, California is home to about 1.3 million acres of bays and estuaries, including three of national significance: Morro Bay, Santa Monica Bay and the […]
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Wetlands restoration and wildfire prevention can drive down insurers’ costs and skyrocketing premiums, a new study shows. By Emmett Gartner October 3, 2026 After years trudging through marshes around San Francisco Bay studying conservation practices, coastal ecologist Megan Kelso realized that one of the largest determinants of wetland health may not be an invasive species […]
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By MARTHA BELLISLE Updated 12:43 PM PDT, October 3, 2026 SEATTLE (AP) — Sea levels along the West Coast will begin to rise by up to a foot this month as a series of pulses of warm water called Kelvin waves hit the shoreline and move north, sparking concerns about beach erosion and flooding in […]
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September 09, 2026 Battered by early gold mining and diminished by logging and diversions, the lower section of Sugar Creek often ran dry in summer. The tributary of the Scott River in Northern California’s Klamath Basin once supported coho salmon—but as it diminished, so did they. In 2014, NOAA Fisheries researchers worked with the Scott River […]
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St. Helena city staff are working out a strategy to clear up the discolored or brown water that sometimes spurts out of city pipes, a persistent, decades-long problem staff have largely attributed to built-up iron and manganese minerals in the water distribution system. “We’re clearly not where we want to be,” Joe Leach, the city’s […]
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The State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) is developing statewide water quality objectives for harmful algal blooms (HABs) and a program of implementation to reduce the risk and occurrence of HABs in California’s inland surface waters, […]
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(CN) — A new study of groundwater in California’s Sacramento Valley shows that the ground sank faster than expected during the 2020-2022 drought due to heavy groundwater pumping, resulting in less water storage capacity in the aquifer. The authors of the study published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences say the damage to the aquifer may […]
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Tuesday’s ruling said Sonoma County had not properly considered the effects of new rules it issued for increased pumping from the Russian River By Bob Egelko,Staff WriterAug 5, 2026 In a challenge by environmental groups to the pumping of groundwater from rivers to fill wells for farmers, homes and businesses in Sonoma County, a state appeals […]
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California’s coast faces unprecedented federal threats that could weaken long‑standing protections, expand offshore oil drilling, and limit how Californians receive information and shape critical decisions impacting our coast. Join Secretary Crowfoot for what promises to be an informative and uplifting discussion. Register to Join What: Secretary Speaker Series: Your Coast. Your Economy. Your Voice. Defending California’s Coast from […]
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People who come in contact with water with elevated levels of E. coli are at an increased risk of becoming ill. Published on July 21, 2026 by Shelley Ho The Abridged version: Lake Natoma visitors looking for relief from the heat may want to reconsider swimming in the water after recent samples continue to show high […]
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Posted on July 22, 2026 by LarryClimate Crisis By Ian James July 21, 2026 Updated 2:53 PM PT Lake Mead and Lake Powell, the country’s two largest reservoirs, have fallen to their lowest combined levels on record, a grim marker in the deepening water crisis across seven states that depend on the Colorado River. The two reservoirs are […]
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by: Katie ChavezPosted: Jul 21, 2026 (FOX40.COM) — Despite multi-million-dollar efforts to combat an invasive species’ impact on a key California water source, Yolo County was forced to declare a local emergency in its latest attempt to slow the spread. The Yolo County Board of Supervisors proclaimed a local emergency Tuesday as golden mussels continue to threaten […]
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Youth-powered Future Ariela Lara, youth plaintiff in Venner v. EPA. June 23, 2026By Ariela Lara My mom came to the United States from San Martín Huamelulpam, a small pueblo in Oaxaca, México, more than 35 years ago. She came because she was told, by family, by friends, by the news, that America was the place […]
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Pelicans, grebes, loons, murres and ‘tremendous numbers’ of Brandt’s cormorants have been found sick or dead By Rachel Fobar | rfobar@scng.com PUBLISHED: June 26, 2026 UPDATED: June 28, 2026 Between disease, pesticide contamination and starvation, seabirds are fighting multiple battles along the California coastline this year. Since March, beachgoers have discovered dozens of sick or dead seabirds along the coastal stretch […]
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Federal agency to use herbicide to clear lands for replanting after 2021 Caldor fire – but public reaction to plan is fierce Carey GillamThu 18 Jun 2026Last modified on Tue 23 Jun 2026 Katherine Levy remembers a childhood deeply rooted in the natural offerings of Lake Tahoe – water-skiing in the summer and working as […]
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The State Water Board is actively developing numeric water quality objectives to protect the MUN and REC-1 beneficial uses from four cyanotoxins: microcystins, cylindrospermopsin, anatoxin-a, and saxitoxins. In addition, they are working on a narrative water quality objective for harmful algal blooms, along with a program of implementation to achieve both the numeric and narrative […]
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NRDC testing shows chemical restrictions work to protect public health June 8, 2026Margie Kellymkelly@nrdc.orgSenior Strategic Communications Manager WASHINGTON, DC – State laws are working to get PFAS “forever chemicals” out of everything from yoga pants to tablecloths, new testing by NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) shows. NRDC tested more than 100 products and found a […]
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By Olivia Harden, Travel ReporterJune 8, 2026 What was once one of San Diego County’s affordable vacation towns has been forced to close its beach for more than 1,000 days. An acrid smell lingers in the air, and the sewage and chemical pollution surging from the Tijuana River are visible from space. It’s more than enough to ruin an afternoon […]
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Building on lessons learned from prior droughts, a new statewide regulation and the resolve of Californians, the state is deploying conservation — even in non-drought years — as a key strategy to ensure long-term water security. For more information, contact Nick Cahill With nearly 40 million residents, farms that produce half of all U.S. produce and […]
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Written by: Noah AbramsPublished: 15 May 2026 California’s Department of Water Resources on local water supply plans. They learned about the latest urban water management, UWMP, and water shortage contingency, WSCP, plans from Sonoma Water. Sonoma Water’s Paul Piazza, speaking to the board at their May 12th meeting, said, “projected water demands have decreased since the 2020 […]
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By Sean BothwellMay 19, 2026 Imagine turning on your tap and not being sure it’s safe to drink what comes out. For one million Californians, this scenario is not hypothetical. In disadvantaged communities, including some in the Central Valley, families have been told for years to boil their tap water for safety or buy bottled water they cannot […]
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by Michael WilkersonStopClearcuttingCA 75% of the world’s accessible freshwater comes from forested watersheds, making forests not just valued ecosystems but also essential for water infrastructure. The Role of Forests in Water Management And it all starts with rain. Forest trees capture raindrops before they ever hit the ground, slowing their journey through leaves & branches to […]
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The latest flurries that dusted parts of the Sierra Nevada this week are unlikely to do much to ease California’s snow drought. Since April 1 — when the state measured its second-lowest snowpack on record — the Sierra Nevada has seen a few rounds of storms. This week’s system triggered winter storm warnings in the […]
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As 2025 drew to a close, the big news on California’s Eel River was U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins’ unhinged and weird letter to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) opposing Pacific Gas and Electric’s (PG&E) License Surrender Application for the Potter Valley Project. Rollins demanded the commission reject PG&E’s application, contrary to FERC precedent and […]
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Warm Storms and High‑Elevation Rain Accelerate Melt Months Ahead of Schedule, Impacting Water Supply for the Remainder of the Year SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The Department of Water Resources (DWR) today conducted the critical April snow survey at Phillips Station and found no measurable snow, a stark indicator of how record‑hot March temperatures and high‑elevation rain have […]
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A skier surveys the view of South Lake Tahoe from Heavenly ski resort. An early spring California heat wave is feasting on what’s left of the Sierra Nevada snowpack, raising wildfire and drought concerns. (Olivia Allen-Price/KQED) The snowpack is melting so fast across the Sierra Nevada that ski resorts in the Tahoe area are farming snow to deepen […]
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On April 13, 2026, youth from across the country will stand before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in Lighthiser v. Trump, challenging President Trump’s pro-fossil fuel executive orders that “unleash” fossil fuels, block renewable energy development, suppress critical climate science, and worsen the climate crisis. The appeal follows a historic September evidentiary hearing — the […]
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On January 30, 2026 the North Coast Water Board released Draft General Waste Discharge Requirements for Commercial Lily Bulb Operations in the Smith River Plain (Draft Lily Bulb Order) An accompanying Draft Environmental Impact Report (Draft EIR) that analyzed impacts from the proposed regulation was also released. Both documents are available for review with a […]
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