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Welcome to the archives of Water Deeply. While we paused regular publication of the site on November 1, 2018, we are happy to serve as an ongoing public resource on water resilience. We hope you’ll enjoy the reporting and analysis that was produced by our dedicated community of editors and contributors.
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Managing groundwater recharge basins and irrigation ponds could become more troublesome under California’s plan to counteract the Trump administration’s rollback of wetland protections, industry experts say.
The Trump administration is moving to weaken the so-called Waters of the U.S. rule, which protects wetlands and other waterways from development. California plans its own regulations to fill the gap, but progress is slow.
Holly Doremus James H. House and Hiram H. Hurd Professor of Environmental Regulation, University of California, Berkeley
The Clean Water Act has failed to protect California’s wetlands and a recent executive order by the Trump Administration could make things worse. California needs a state program to get the job done, says environmental law professor Holly Doremus.
California’s largest reservoir may get even bigger, despite opposition from the state. Some welcome the opportunity to store more water, but others are skeptical it could significantly ease competing demands for limited water and aid fish.
David Nahai Former Chair, Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board
A new initiative, the Clean Water Accountability Project, will help boost efforts to enforce California’s water laws and environmental protections, writes environmental attorney David Nahai.
Some experts are questioning the legality of the Trump administration’s plan to increase water pumping of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, while others are concerned about the consequences for imperiled salmon and other fish.
Alfonzo Abeyta Rancher and Longtime Resident of Mogotes, Colorado
As the Trump administration looks to repeal the Clean Water Rule, rancher Alfonzo Abeyta of the Rural Coalition says that farmers and ranchers are standing up for clean water regulations.
Richard Frank Professor of Environmental Practice, University of California, Davis School of Law
As the Trump administration prepares to weaken the Clean Water Rule, there are steps California’s Water Board can take to protect wetlands, streams and drinking water, says Richard Frank of the U.C. Davis School of Law.
Donald Trump’s remarks last month that there was no drought in California are part of a larger antiscience trend among politicians that can sway public opinion.
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