Toxic ‘Forever Chemicals’ taint rural California drinking water, far from known sources

Juana Valle never imagined she’d be scared to drink water from her tap or eat fresh eggs and walnuts when she bought her 5-acre farm in San Juan Bautista, California, three years ago. Escaping city life and growing her own food was a dream come true for the 52-year-old. Then Valle began to suspect water from her well was making her sick. (Recorsd-Bee)

SoCal water approves $141M for rain capture amid funding, environmental concerns

The Southern California Metropolitan Water District (MWD) voted overwhelmingly to provide $141.6 million for “planning and preconstruction costs” for the Delta Conveyance Project (DCP). This accounts for 47.2% of the $300 million requested by the Department of Water Resources (DWR) from California’s water agencies. (The Center Square)

California officials plan for a dry 2025 with grim water supply guesswork

Each December there’s a new version of an old guessing game about how much water will be provided to agricultural and municipal users in the year ahead.

Federal and state water agencies post initial, and usually very low, estimates based on the current condition of reservoirs, soil conditions that affect runoff and assumptions of rain and snow during the winter and spring.

Over the next few months, the estimates are upgraded as firmer precipitation data accumulates, often — but not always — increasing. (Mountain Democrat)

America's largest reservoir rises from 'dead pool' status as California farmers cut water usage

Lake Mead, America's largest reservoir, has seen its water levels rise by 16 feet after

farmers in California have managed to save a staggering amount of water, helping the reservoir avoid the 'dead pool' status. (The Mirror)

Coming storms could buoy California snowpack after late start

The winter snowpack started accumulating later than usual in California, but a series of early-season storms have pushed totals above average for this time of year.

With multiple storm fronts forecast to sweep through Northern California in the coming days, the northernmost regions of the Sierra Nevada have already seen snowpack levels well above what is typical for this time of year. The range’s regions further south, meanwhile, are around or below average, in a pattern that aligns with a developing La Niña. (SF Examiner)