Ian James

For the first time, growers in one of California’s most acutely water-stressed areas have to tell the state how much groundwater they are pumping. https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2026-05-01/california-farms-tule-tulare-groundwater

“This is democracy.” Responding to residents who waged a social media campaign against the spraying of herbicides in local creeks, Orange County officials announced they will halt the practice in waterways near Doheny State Beach.
https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2026-03-06/orange-county-herbicide-spraying-halted

"It’s a huge, huge win for a grassroots movement." Three months after residents began waging a campaign on Instagram saying herbicides are poisoning creeks, officials announced they are halting spraying of the chemicals, for now, in waterways throughout Orange County. https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2026-05-15/orange-county-stops-spraying-herbicides-creeks

How much water lies beneath our feet? After years of research, scientists have an answer, and a new, detailed national map of groundwater.

https://www.latimes.com/environment/newsletter/2026-04-09/mapping-groundwater

Rainfall in much of the world, including California and the western U.S., has become more concentrated in heavier storms, with longer dry spells in between. "The more concentrated rainfall you get, the drier you become." https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2026-05-13/rainfall-study

Extreme heat is rapidly melting California's snowpack. As of today, the snowpack measures just 38% of average and is continuing to shrink fast.

"Because of climate change, it is impacting the way the water cycle is behaving." https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2026-03-15/extreme-heat-california-snowpack

Thirty-two years after a landmark decision called for L.A. to limit its taking of water to help Mono Lake recover, its water level is still far lower than what’s required. Some are calling for L.A. to pause its use of water to allow the lake to rise. https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2026-03-21/california-water-regulators-reexamine-mono-lake

The Trump administration plans to increase the water it’s sending to Central Valley farmlands from Shasta Lake this year. Environmental and fishing groups say this threatens to harm salmon by depriving them of vital cold water. https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2026-05-21/california-water-salmon-trump-dam-plan

In May, the Leona Valley is usually bustling with families who arrive from across Southern California for an annual tradition: U-pick cherries. But climate change is bringing warmer winters, and this year has been so warm that the trees produced no cherries. https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2026-05-19/cherry-season-record-warmth

The dire ‘math problem’ of the Colorado River

I asked Anne Castle how far western states’ leaders are from really addressing the crisis.

Her answer: Nowhere near.
https://www.latimes.com/environment/newsletter/2026-05-14/boiling-point-colorado-river-math-problem

With the Colorado River’s reservoirs declining toward critically low levels, negotiators for California, Arizona and Nevada announced a new water-saving plan for the next two years. https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2026-05-02/california-new-colorado-river-plan

The warm winter has left very little snow in California’s Sierra Nevada, and now an extreme heat wave is accelerating the rapid melt in the mountains.

I spoke with Stanford researcher Newsha Ajami about what warming winters mean for the future of California's water: https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2026-03-15/extreme-heat-california-snowpack

Commercial fishing for salmon is set to resume along the California coast for the first time since 2022. After a three-year shutdown, regulators plan to allow a fishing season with strict limits.

I spoke with people who fish for a living about what it means: https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2026-04-12/california-salmon-fishing-resuming

A coalition of cities and water agencies led by the Central Arizona Project has started rolling out TV ads: "Arizona is being unfairly targeted for reductions of Colorado River water that would cripple our state." https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-environment/2026/02/23/colorado-river-cuts-unfairly-target-arizona-coalition-says/88783916007/

Splashdown: Artemis II astronauts safely return after historic moon mission https://www.latimes.com/science/story/2026-04-10/artemis-ii-san-diego-splashdown

Climate “superfund” bills, based on the principle that oil companies should pay costs associated with climate change, are gaining ground in state legislatures. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/06/climate/climate-superfund-laws-bills.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share

Recharging groundwater: New research highlights areas around the world that have managed to halt groundwater declines and boost aquifer levels. One California farm water agency shows what decades of recharge efforts can accomplish.
https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2026-03-21/groundwater-recharge

San Diego County's water situation is unusual in California. Because of its big investments in getting more water, it now has an oversupply — and some of the state's highest rates. The agency is selling some of its water to keep its rising rates in check. https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2026-03-20/san-diego-county-water-deal

The United Farm Workers is voicing support for victims, reckoning with Cesar Chavez sexual abuse revelations

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2026-03-19/united-farm-workers-leader-cesar-chavez-interview

California, Arizona and Nevada are criticizing how the Trump administration is dealing with the Colorado River's crisis. They are warning that the Interior Department’s outline of options for water cutbacks ignores the 1922 agreement that divided the water. https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2026-03-04/trump-administration-rethink-colorado-river-plans

The Colorado River quagmire boils down to a simple question, John Fleck writes: "Secretary Burgum: Tell us what you’re going to do." https://www.inkstain.net/2026/02/in-which-my-colleagues-and-i-share-thoughts-on-the-future-of-colorado-river-governance/

California’s snowpack remains far smaller than average during a winter that has brought record warmth across the West

Sierra Nevada: 66% of average
Upper Colorado River: 66% of average
Oregon: 34% of average

"Projections show that our winters are going to look a lot more like this in the future."
https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2026-02-27/california-march-sierra-snow-survey

The crisis on the Colorado River — six things to know
https://www.latimes.com/environment/newsletter/2026-02-26/boiling-point-things-to-know-colorado-river-crisis

Will California ever build the Delta tunnel? "You’ve got some pretty tough hurdles ahead." https://calmatters.org/environment/2026/05/newsom-california-delta-tunnel-water/

Along the shores of the shrinking Salton Sea, desert winds regularly kick up dust and send it drifting through nearby neighborhoods. New research indicates that children who live close to the lake have diminished lung development compared with kids farther away. https://www.latimes.com/science/story/2026-04-09/salton-sea-dust-children-health

Most of the snow in California’s Sierra Nevada has melted after a record-breaking heat wave.

“Climate change is influencing California’s water system quickly and severely.” @petergleick@fediscience.org
https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2026-04-01/extreme-heat-california-snow

The record warmth this winter, with some states seeing seasonal temperatures more than 3 degrees F above average, brought “the classic signature of a warming climate on mountain snowpack,” @weatherwest@mastodon.social says https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2026-03-15/extreme-heat-california-snowpack

With desert cities like Phoenix and Tucson bracing for their allotments of Colorado River water to be slashed dramatically, San Diego County’s water agency could for the first time sell some of its water to other states by drawing on its ample supplies from the nation’s largest desalination plant. https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2026-03-03/california-desalination-water-transfer-deal

At least eight skiers died in the avalanche, and one person is missing. https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/live/rescuers-search-for-nine-skiers-missing-after-lake-tahoe-avalanche

‘We’re in shock’: Farmworkers grapple with Cesar Chavez sex abuse allegations

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2026-03-19/farmworkers-cesar-chavez-sex-abuse-allegations

The water crisis along the Colorado River has gotten so serious that the Trump administration is responding with emergency measures to prop up Lake Powell, the nation’s second largest reservoir. https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2026-04-17/colorado-river-trump-administration-dams

Does California have a blind spot in its tracking of climate-warming gases? Several environmental groups say it's reservoirs. They're urging state air regulators to start tracking how much methane they emit. https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2026-04-15/california-reservoirs-methane