Tulare Lake Subbasin Probationary Hearing Final Staff Report

California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB)nia | March 29th, 2024

State Water Board staff have identified specific deficiencies in the Tulare Lake Subbasin 2022 GSP and have outlined potential corrective actions to address those specifi

State Water Board staff have identified specific deficiencies in the Tulare Lake Subbasin 2022 GSP and have outlined potential corrective actions to address those specific deficiencies. The Final Staff Report also incorporates deficiencies identified by DWR’s determination. Deficiencies that have been identified within the GSP relate to: * Chronic lowering of groundwater levels with insufficient management criteria. * Continued land subsidence (sinking). * Further degradation of groundwater quality.

Tule Subbasin Probationary Hearing Draft Staff Report

California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) | March 1st, 2024

The State Water Board recognizes that local public agencies in the Tule Subbasin significant efforts since the passage of SGMA to form groundwater sustainability agencies

The State Water Board recognizes that local public agencies in the Tule Subbasin significant efforts since the passage of SGMA to form groundwater sustainability agencies (GSAs) and then develop detailed technical and other information supporting the adoption and implementation of six groundwater sustainability plans (GSPs) for the subbasin. Despite those efforts, in January of 2022, DWR reviewed GSPs to determine if the GSPs met SGMA’s requirements and found it to be incomplete. Following revisions made by the GSAs in the subbasin, DWR reevaluated the GSPs in March of 2023, determined the GSPs to be inadequate, and referred the subbasin to the State Water Board, as required by SGMA. Consistent with SGMA, the State Water Board may now consider whether to designate the Tule Subbasin as a “probationary basin,” a term that is used in SGMA to describe a basin in the first stage of state intervention.

Tule Subbasin Probationary Hearing Final Staff Report

California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) | August 30th, 2024

Board staff identified specific deficiencies in the Tule Subbasin 2022 GSPs and outlined potential corrective actions to address those specific deficiencies. • Chron

Board staff identified specific deficiencies in the Tule Subbasin 2022 GSPs and outlined potential corrective actions to address those specific deficiencies. • Chronic lowering of groundwater levels with insufficient management criteria. • Continued land subsidence (sinking). • Further degradation of groundwater quality. • Depletions of interconnected surface water.

Twentieth-century shifts in forest structure in California: Denser forests, smaller trees, and increased dominance of oaks

National Academy of Sciences (NAS) | January 20th, 2015

UC groundwater research: A survey

California Agriculture (UCANR) | March 13th, 2018

As California implements the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), UC research is building knowledge and supporting innovation in groundwater recharge, groundwat

As California implements the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), UC research is building knowledge and supporting innovation in groundwater recharge, groundwater accounting, groundwater quality, groundwater governance and more. Here's a sample of work from across the UC system: whole watershed accounting; water availability for recharge; precision data on snowmelt; spatial data on well vulnerability; large scale groundwater recharge and agricultural systems; groundwater-surface water interactions; groundwater quality and salinity; water supply, land use and rural communities; data on water use and water rights; managed aquifer recharge on farmland; soil suitability for recharge; distributed stormwater collection; net metering for groundwater; geophysical imaging; groundwater governance; lessons on groundwater permitting from around the West; supporting Groundwater Sustainability Plan development; the economics of sustainable groundwater management; and considerations for groundwater markets.

Underestimating the Challenges of Avoiding a Ghastly Future

Frontiers in Conservation Science (Frontiers) | January 13th, 2021

We report three major and confronting environmental issues that have received little attention and require urgent action. First, we review the evidence that future enviro

We report three major and confronting environmental issues that have received little attention and require urgent action. First, we review the evidence that future environmental conditions will be far more dangerous than currently believed. The scale of the threats to the biosphere and all its lifeforms—including humanity—is in fact so great that it is difficult to grasp for even well-informed experts. Second, we ask what political or economic system, or leadership, is prepared to handle the predicted disasters, or even capable of such action. Third, this dire situation places an extraordinary responsibility on scientists to speak out candidly and accurately when engaging with government, business, and the public. We especially draw attention to the lack of appreciation of the enormous challenges to creating a sustainable future. The added stresses to human health, wealth, and well-being will perversely diminish our political capacity to mitigate the erosion of ecosystem services on which society depends. The science underlying these issues is strong, but awareness is weak. Without fully appreciating and broadcasting the scale of the problems and the enormity of the solutions required, society will fail to achieve even modest sustainability goals.

Understanding Microplastic Levels, Pathways, and Transport in the San Francisco Bay Region

San Francisco Estuary Institute (SFEI) | October 2nd, 2019

Microplastics (particles less than 5 mm) are ubiquitous and persistent pollutants in the ocean and a pervasive and preventable threat to the health of marine ec

Microplastics (particles less than 5 mm) are ubiquitous and persistent pollutants in the ocean and a pervasive and preventable threat to the health of marine ecosystems. Microplastics come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and plastic types, each with unique physical and chemical properties and toxicological impacts. Understanding the magnitude of the microplastics problem and determining the highest priorities for mitigation require accurate measures of microplastic occurrence in the environment and identification of likely sources. To develop critical baseline data and inform solutions, the San Francisco Estuary Institute and the 5 Gyres Institute have completed the first comprehensive regional study of microplastic pollution in a major estuary.

Unintended consequences of water conservation on the use of treated municipal wastewater

Nature Portfolio (Springer Nature) | May 11th, 2020

Municipal water managers are intensifying efforts to reduce urban water use and increase the reliability of local water supplies to combat rising water scarcity and droug

Municipal water managers are intensifying efforts to reduce urban water use and increase the reliability of local water supplies to combat rising water scarcity and drought. Incentivizing increases in water-use efficiency and mandating conservation are two strategies to rein in demand. Concurrently, local water supplies are being augmented through investments in reclaiming and treating municipal wastewater. Although reducing urban water consumption is necessary to deal with population growth and a more variable climate, it does come at a cost. In particular, cutting back on indoor water consumption impacts the generation and quality of wastewater, which can have widespread and underappreciated consequences on human society and the environment. Here, to quantify these impacts, we tracked monthly effluent flow, salinity levels and the properties of 34 wastewater treatment plants throughout Southern California from 2013 to 2017—a period that included extreme drought and abundant precipitation. Our analysis demonstrates that conservation measures significantly reduced effluent flow and increased effluent salinity (P value ≤ 0.05). Our findings further highlight the need for policymakers to recognize the interdependencies and complexities within a water system.

United States v. State Water Resources Control Board (1986)

Court of Appeals of California, First Appellate District | May 28th, 1986

This appeal raises a number of novel and complex questions concerning the interrelationship of the law of water quality and the law of water rights. The coordinated cases

This appeal raises a number of novel and complex questions concerning the interrelationship of the law of water quality and the law of water rights. The coordinated cases arise out of efforts by the State Water Resources Control Board (the Board) to set new water quality standards for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (Delta) in order to take account of the combined effects upon the Delta of the state's two massive water projects: the Central Valley Project (CVP) and the State Water Project (SWP), operated by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (U.S. Bureau or Bureau) and the California Department of Water Resources (DWR), respectively.

Unveiling the hidden chronic health risks of nano- and microplastics in single-use plastic water bottles: a review

Elsevier | June 14th, 2025

Single-use plastic products, such as water bottles, have become ubiquitous in modern society, contributing significantly to the growing problem of plastic waste in la

Single-use plastic products, such as water bottles, have become ubiquitous in modern society, contributing significantly to the growing problem of plastic waste in landfills, rivers, oceans, and natural habitats. This poses severe threats to biodiversity and ecosystem stability. The emergence of microplastics (1 µm to 5 mm) and nanoplastics (less than 1 µm) has raised alarms about their harmful effects on human health. Nanoplastics are especially hazardous due to their smaller size and enhanced ability to infiltrate the human body. There are critical gaps in the literature regarding the contamination of nano- and microplastics from single-use plastic water bottles, emphasizing the urgent need for further research. Here we review, we examine the global impact of nano- and microplastics from single-use plastic water bottles on human health, drawing insights from over 141 scientific articles. Key findings include the annual ingestion of 39,000 to 52,000 microplastic particles by individuals, with bottled water consumers ingesting up to 90,000 more particles than tap water consumers. The literature reveals variations in the number of nano- and microplastics particles, their sizes, and a lack of information on their physical properties. Moreover, the review highlights the chronic health issues linked to exposure to nano- and microplastics, including respiratory diseases, reproductive issues, neurotoxicity, and carcinogenicity. We highlight the challenges of standardized testing methods and the need for comprehensive regulations targeting nano- and microplastics in water bottles. This review article underscores the pressing need for expanding research, increasing public awareness, and implementing robust regulatory measures to address the adverse effects of nano- and microplastics from single-use plastic water bottles.