Water

Central Valley, state water projects subject of California judge’s review

A federal judge is reviewing a proposed order requesting approval of an interim operations plan for 2022 that would affect Central Valley Project and State Water Project agricultural water users. U.S. District Court Judge Dale... more »

‘Waters of the United States’ definition revised in proposed rule

American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall issued a statement Nov. 18 on the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed rule to replace the Navigable Waters Protection Rule. “AFBF is disappointed EPA is returning to an overly... more »

Water woes challenge Western ag

In September, when funding was gutted for a much-anticipated water bill, then withdrawn from the floor of the California state legislature, growers responded with fighting words. Senate Bill 559, also known as the State Water... more »

Local agencies urged to protect groundwater in California

For the first time in California history, local agencies and groundwater users are required to form groundwater sustainability agencies and develop and implement plans to guide how they will achieve groundwater basin sustainability goals over... more »

Infrastructure funding OK brings funds to California projects

In actions that carry out President Joe Biden's economic agenda, the U.S. House of Representatives recently passed two pieces of significant legislation, including a $1.2 trillion bipartisan package that includes $8.3 billion for critical water... more »

Infrastructure bill brings victory for Western water users, agencies say

With President Joe Biden’s signature on the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act on Nov. 15, a national coalition representing thousands of Western farmers, ranchers, businesses and rural and urban water providers declared a victory... more »

Belief that modern irrigation saves water refuted by researchers

A team of scientists, including a professor from New Mexico State University, suggests in a recently published paper that reliance on modern irrigation technologies as a water-use efficiency strategy is a “zombie idea” – one... more »

New water investments sought in proposed California ballot initiative

A proposed California ballot initiative, which could appear before voters in November 2022, seeks greater state investment to increase the annual supply of water in California by 5 million acre-feet. The Water Infrastructure Funding Act... more »