The ACLU Foundation of Northern California has been working on improving language access to water system information so that people will know if their water is free of toxic contaminants.
By law, all water systems are required to send out annual consumer confidence reports that notify residents about their drinking water quality.
These water reports do three important things: (1) let people know about possible drinking water contamination, (2) describe any health and safety violations, and (3) provide notice about upcoming meetings where people can speak directly to decision-makers about their water quality.
However, nearly 7 million people in California, more than any other state, have a limited ability to read, write, speak, or understand English.
Each year, it provides a water report template on its agency website, for use by systems throughout the state and which smaller water systems rely on.
The sentence, loosely translated, reads: This report contains very important information about your drinking water.
Providing an English-only template harms already vulnerable communities by limiting their access to important information about their water.
Safe Water is a Human Right In our letter, we asked the SWRCB to provide translated templates that reflect California’s diversity — and they listened.
We’re proud to report that 11 public water systems throughout Fresno, Madera, and Tulare counties are now using these translated templates.
Safe water is a human right, and we will continue working to expand language access across California.

Photos of waterways in Northern California during a severe drought in the 1970s and from the peak of the most recent drought show stark similarities.
California experienced one of its most severe droughts between 1975 and 1977.
The state got a one year’s average for rain over a two-year period.
While the state’s most recent drought, from 2012 to 2016, lasted longer, the impact was similar.
Below are photos from four well-known waterways in the region that compare scenes between the two droughts: California Department of Water Resources LiveCopter 3 California Department of Water Resources u local California Department of Water Resources California Department of Water Resources California Department of Water Resources California Department of Water Resources California Department of Water Resources Florence Low/California Department of Water Resources California Department of Water Resources The drought of 1977, Lake Oroville reached its lowest daily average storage of 882,000 acre-feet on Sept. 7, 1977.
This aerial view shows Oroville Dam in Butte County in Northern California, once called the ninth wonder of the world, as the tallest dam in the U.S. with 85 million cubic yards of earth.
Paul Hames/California Department of Water Resources California Department of Water Resources Paul Hames/California Department of Water Resources

In the South and Southern Plains, the overall dry pattern during the past 30-to-60 days led to expansion of areas of moderate-to-severe drought across portions of Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, eastern Oklahoma, and eastern Texas.
Overall, the region was dry with the exception of northern Florida where rainfall accumulations ranged from 2-to-4 inches.
In the eastern half of Texas, short-term precipitation deficits (3-to-5 inches) during the past 30-to-60 days led to expansion of areas of Abnormally Dry (D0) and Moderate Drought (D1).
Overall, the region was dry during the past week, and average temperatures were near to slightly below normal across Louisiana, Mississippi, and eastern Texas while above average temperatures (5-to-14 degrees) were observed in western portions of Oklahoma and Texas.
High Plains On this week’s map, conditions deteriorated in central and eastern Kansas as well as in western North Dakota.
During the past week, the region was dry and temperatures were well above average especially in western portions of the Dakotas where temperatures were 15-to-18 degrees above normal.
On the map, areas of Moderate Drought (D1) expanded in central and northern Arizona, western Colorado, western New Mexico, and across Utah in response to short-term precipitation deficits (30-60 days), poor snowpack conditions, and anomalously warm temperatures.
In the Hawaiian Islands, one-category improvements were made in areas of Severe Drought (D2), Moderate Drought (D1), and Abnormally Dry (D0) on Kauai.
Average temperatures were below normal across much of the state with the exception of western Alaska and the North Slope that saw positive anomalies ranging from 4-to-14 degrees above normal during the past week.
The CPC 6–10-day outlook calls for a high probability of above-normal temperatures across the eastern half of the conterminous U.S. as well as in western Arizona, California, and western Nevada while below normal temperatures are expected in a swath extending from west Texas to eastern portions of the Pacific Northwest.

That’s the thinking of many scientists, including Marty Ralph, director of the Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes at UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and Scripps researcher Alexander “Sasha” Gershunov.
Specifically, how do you expect that our weather and climate will change, and over what period of time?
Overall, we expect more variability of annual precipitation from year-to-year, but not necessarily more precipitation on average for California.
Actually, we expect a little more in Northern California and less in Southern California.
Q: Would Southern California experience an increase in atmospheric rivers?
We expect Southern California to experience an increase in the intensity of atmospheric rivers — their moisture content and precipitation production — not necessarily in their frequency. At the Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes we work with water managers in the state to be prepared for those fluctuations so they are able to capture precipitation when it occurs to offset periods of drought, or to better anticipate flood risk.
Would that make the region more susceptible to wildfires?
Q: If we experience a clear change in weather patterns, will you be able to quantify how much of it is due to natural variability and how much of it stems from the increased use of fossil fuels by humans?
In response to regional water management needs, the Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes is leading the development of “Atmospheric River Outlooks" that extend two to three weeks into the future and strive to predict the odds of more and less than normal atmospheric river activity hitting the west coast during that period.

NEWS WORTH NOTING: Specific agricultural interests added to SGMA; The Freshwater Trust helps 19 agencies improve groundwater in NorCal; Poll reveals majority of SoCal voters support Calif Water Fix.
Jerry Brown on Monday.
… ” Read more from Best Best & Krieger here: Specific agricultural interests added to SGMA The Freshwater Trust helps 19 agencies improve groundwater in northern California From the Freshwater Trust: “The Freshwater Trust (TFT) recently supported 19 local agencies to collaboratively and sustainably manage groundwater in California’s Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.
… “After years of drought, this legislation was California’s first attempt at preventing groundwater resources in the state from being overused and reversing declines where they are occurring, ” said Erik Ringelberg, TFT’s California director.
“The Freshwater Trust was able to help these groups form GSAs and ultimately work together for the benefit of freshwater here in the Delta.” … ” Continue reading from the Freshwater Trust here: The Freshwater Trust helps 19 agencies improve groundwater in northern California Voter poll reveals majority of Southern Californians support California Water Fix From the Southern California Water Committee: Governor Brown’s California WaterFix project has support from nearly two-thirds (64 percent) of Southern California voters, according to results released today from a public opinion survey commissioned by the Southern California Water Committee (SCWC).
… ” Continue reading from the Southern California Water Committee here: Voter poll reveals majority of Southern Californians support California Water Fix Get the Notebook blog by email and never miss a post!
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What a difference!
How drought-buster winter has changed NorCal.
Jerry Brown declared earlier this month, but it’s too early to parade in our rain, scientists say.
The thing about record droughts is that they take a long time to recover from.
"The odds of the state completely recovering from its extreme dryness within two years are estimated at less than 1 percent," said Dr. Eugene R. Wahl, paleoclimatologist and lead author of the study for the National Centers for Environmental Information of the NOAA.
So despite a wetter-than-average winter, areas that suffered the worst during the dry spell may need decades to recover, scientists say.
Some locations are more than 8 feet behind in rainfall.
Most of Northern and interior California has seen a short-term replenishment of lakes and reservoirs, but long-term recovery is not a sure thing.
Still, the much higher water levels are a strong first step, as the above gallery shows.
Click to see what dramatic changes the wet winter has made to Northern California.

; Bids for Oroville Dam repair top state estimates; $275.4 million the lowest; Governor defends State’s handling of Oroville Dam Spillway emergency; ‘Broken promises’: County officials, public sound off on current and historical problems at Oroville Dam; USGS finds vast reserves of salty groundwater underneath California; Report: We can’t stop sea level rise, only slow it down; How legalized marijuana applies to boaters; and more … In the news this weekend … How the drought changed California forever: “California’s historic five-year drought is officially over, washed away with the relentlessly drenching rains, floods and snowstorms of this winter.
“This was the wake-up call of the century.” … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News here: How the drought changed California forever State will increase water deliveries to Southern California: “State officials said Friday Southern California water agencies will soon get close to a full of allotment of water — 85 percent — following several winter storms that broke rain and snow records across the state.
The announcement came one week after Gov.
Bids for Oroville Dam repair top state estimates; $275.4 million the lowest: “Blowing past state officials’ financial projections, three construction contractors submitted bids for the Oroville Dam repairs that begin at $275 million, the Department of Water Resources said Saturday.
… ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee here: Bids for Oroville Dam repair top state estimates; $275.4 million the lowest Governor defends State’s handling of Oroville Dam Spillway emergency: “California Gov.
… ” Read more from CBS News here: Governor defends State’s handling of Oroville Dam Spillway emergency ‘Broken promises’: County officials, public sound off on current and historical problems at Oroville Dam: “A deluge of grievances regarding long-stalled relicensing, management and repairs at the Oroville Dam prompted by the recent crisis at the reservoir were aired at the Butte County Board of Supervisors meeting Tuesday (April 11).
If we encounter it in the course of our operations, we will enforce those laws,” says Lt. Cmdr.
… ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee here: Dear California water officials: After Oroville Dam scare, why should we trust you?
“There is no river like the Eel.
Maven’s Notebook where California water news never goes home for the weekend

Illegal cannabis farming has negatively impacted the area greatly by introducing petroleum contamination into water sources, rodenticide poisoning of wildlife and illegal clearing of forests for farming. The Eel River Recovery Project has been working with cannabis cultivators in the Humboldt county region for four years now, and together they have held a series of community meetings focused on toxic algae blooms and local resident health. The Eel River Recover Project is a program sponsored by the Institute for Fisheries Resources, part of the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations. Legalization and regulation of cannabis farming in California has allowed agencies to work with farmers to provide support and offer best practices for conserving the…

From San Bernardino County: After years of drought, record rainfall up North is filling up reservoirs like Lake Oroville, the State Water Project’s primary storage location.
“The precipitation that re-fills our underground storage basins is actually below average, so far,” said Bob Tincher, manager of water resources for San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District.
“So if it were to stop raining today, even with the wet year in Northern California, our groundwater storage levels could actually decrease again this year,” Tincher said the Inland Empire needs the equivalent of three consecutive above average precipitation years to refill local groundwater basins.
“The images we’re seeing in the news of Northern California reservoirs being filled to the brim are certainly creating the impression that the drought is over, but our local groundwater basins, which get us through droughts, continue to be at historically low levels.” Much of the water that refills our largest groundwater basin comes from the watersheds of Lytle Creek, the Santa Ana River and Mill Creek, all of which have essentially had below average rainfall for 16 of the last 18 years.
Dramatic savings can be had with just a few changes, such as eliminating the grass you do nothing but mow, and adjusting your sprinklers throughout the year to avoid runoff on your street, driveway and sidewalks.
“As your wholesale water agency, Valley District will be asking the people we serve by importing water from Northern California to continue conserving water and eliminating water waste both inside and outside your home.”.
Your water provider can help.
Valley District also offers $1 per square foot for turf removal that is presently available through their retail water provider.
Information on rebates, conservation tips and other resources are available at iEfficient.com.
Taking steps today to become efficient ensures a safe, high-quality water supply for the future.

"We are getting some rain," Doty said.
"You guys have been hoarding it all in Northern California, because I really haven’t had that much," said Terry Munz, a dryland grain farmer west of Lancaster in Los Angeles County.
The Southern California water year, which began Oct. 1, has been below average so far, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, which said southern Santa Barbara, Ventura, southern Kern and northwestern Los Angeles counties remain in a state of severe drought.
Lake Cachuma in Santa Barbara County and Lake Casitas and Lake Piru in Ventura County remain far below average, according to the monitor, as do several reservoirs in Los Angeles County.
As of last week, he’d seen 7.5 inches of rain, he said.
"I haven’t had more than 7 inches of rain here for five years," he said.
"Most crops are salt-sensitive, so the more salt we put on the ground, the more tip burn we get."
The Drought Monitor had encouraging news for Stehly and his neighbors: As of late last week, the Sierra snowpack held more than 160 percent of its average water content for this time of year.
He said the region averages 12 inches of rain per year, and as of last week, rainfall stood at a little more than 7 inches.
"I wouldn’t have to farm for 10 years, or I’d just have to do it again.