The board extended emergency flow regulations for Scott and Shasta River watersheds until 2031 while developing permanent requirements. Agricultural operators successfully met minimum flow requirements throughout the 2025 irrigation season for the first time, with improved groundwater conditions contributing to better compliance. The Farm Bureau proposed streamlining multiple overlapping regulatory programs into a single coordinated approach to reduce duplicative monitoring and reporting ...
Agricultural experts determined that sufficient data exists to establish nitrogen limits for major crops in some regions, but a landscape-level approach targeting broader areas is more effective than field-specific regulations. Current nitrogen application rates significantly exceed what's needed for groundwater protection, with some cropping systems showing 350+ pounds of excess nitrogen per acre versus the 27 pounds needed for water quality targets. The panel is moving toward identifying...
California's water year 2025 showed mixed results with above-average precipitation in the north but dry conditions in the south, while officials prepare for uncertain La Niña weather patterns in 2026. Groundwater management continues improving under state regulations with 9,000 new monitoring sites, though land subsidence remains a concern. New proposed manganese health standards could require treatment upgrades for approximately 1,000 public water systems, particularly affecting...
Agricultural experts and stakeholders emphasized that insufficient data exists across regions to establish crop-specific nitrogen application limits, with only 3 of 9 regions having reported complete data. Small-scale and diversified farming operations face significant compliance challenges with current nitrogen reporting requirements designed for large monoculture farms. Regional differences in agricultural conditions and water quality issues require flexible approaches rather than uniform..
The board unanimously approved a major overhaul of 40-year-old underground storage tank regulations, modernizing rules with 27 amendments and extending compliance deadlines to January 2027. A statewide water supply modeling program is rapidly expanding to 18 watersheds, building sophisticated drought management tools based on successful Russian River work. Environmental groups are pushing for more time to comment on the Bay Delta Water Quality Control Plan update, arguing the current...
