UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences — dedicated to the interdisciplinary study of critical water issues in California. Follow our other accounts at
linktr.ee/ucdaviswater Students Take the Stage at the Spinning Salmon Showcase
By Becca VanArnam, Peggy Harte, Rachel Johnson, Carson Jeffres, and Miranda A. Lowe-Webb . . . Spinning Salmon Program California’s Chinook…
californiawaterblog.com/2026/02/01/students…Not dry, but drought remains an issue, mid-wet season 2026
For the first time in 20 years, no part of California is classified as in drought, but conditions remain delicate. While precipitation levels are good, concerns linger over snowpack and groundwater recovery. California faces the dual…
Not dry, but drought remains an issue, mid-wet season 2026
For the first time in 20 years, no part of California is classified as in drought, but conditions remain delicate. While precipitation levels are good, concerns linger over snowpack and groundwater recovery. California faces the dual threat of potential floods and future droughts, stressing the need for proactive water management.
Resilient California Fishes: Tule Perch
By Peter B. Moyle and Tom L. Taylor This is the second blog in a series on native California fishes that seem to be doing well despite multiple threats. They are still common and widely distributed, despite major changes to their habitats. The Tule Perch…
Resilient California Fishes: Tule Perch
By Peter B. Moyle and Tom L. Taylor This is the second blog in a series on native California fishes that seem to be doing well despite multiple threats. They are still common and widely distributed, despite major changes to their habitats. The Tule Perch (Hysterocarpaus traskii) is an interesting species to include in this series because it contains three distinct subspecies, two of which seem to be doing well and one that is not.
Three Generations of Stewardship: Exploring the Legacy of Environmental Protection on Putah Creek
By Petrea Moyle Marchand This is a cross-post from a blog featured on Consero Solutions. After the indefinite cancellation of school at the start of the Covid-19 quarantine, my Dad, Peter Moyle,…
Three Generations of Stewardship: Exploring the Legacy of Environmental Protection on Putah Creek
By Petrea Moyle Marchand This is a cross-post from a blog featured on Consero Solutions. After the indefinite cancellation of school at the start of the Covid-19 quarantine, my Dad, Peter Moyle, offered to teach my kids about Putah Creek. A fish biologist and University of California, Davis professor who started studying the creek during his early years at UC Davis in the 1970s, there are few people in the world who know as much about the creek.
Where are they now: Dana Myers
“Where are they now” is a series on the California WaterBlog. The series will celebrate the many alumni who got their start at the Center for Watershed Sciences (CWS) and have now gone on to bigger and better things. Blog posts from the “Where are they now” series…
Where are they now: Dana Myers
“Where are they now” is a series on the California WaterBlog. The series will celebrate the many alumni who got their start at the Center for Watershed Sciences (CWS) and have now gone on to bigger and better things. Blog posts from the “Where are they now” series will be peppered throughout our regular blog line up, and they will highlight both former students and past employees of CWS.
Future Ancestors of Freshwater Fishes in California
By Peter B. Moyle Smoky sunset over Eagle Lake, Lassen County, CA - home of endemic Eagle Lake rainbow trout and other endemic fishes and invertebrates. Sept 23, 2014. Will this terminal lake and its unique ecosystem survive global warming? This…
Future Ancestors of Freshwater Fishes in California
By Peter B. Moyle Smoky sunset over Eagle Lake, Lassen County, CA - home of endemic Eagle Lake rainbow trout and other endemic fishes and invertebrates. Sept 23, 2014. Will this terminal lake and its unique ecosystem survive global warming? This will be discussed in a future blog. * This is a re-post of a blog originally published 09/17/2023. The Challenge…
Day 12 – California Water: The Gift that Keeps on Giving
By Karrigan Börk and Jay Lund Yolo bybass at sunset. Photo by Karrigan Börk, 2024. California is full of gifts that keep on giving. California water provides for a bounty of social, environmental, economic, and cultural benefits. Water is…
Day 12 – California Water: The Gift that Keeps on Giving
By Karrigan Börk and Jay Lund Yolo bybass at sunset. Photo by Karrigan Börk, 2024. California is full of gifts that keep on giving. California water provides for a bounty of social, environmental, economic, and cultural benefits. Water is the lifeblood of California farms, which have created one of the world’s great agricultural economies. Water carves our state’s beautiful landscapes and floats our boats and our bodies through some of the most magnificent places on Earth.
Day 11 – The Gift of Students
By Karrigan Börk You might think that teaching the same thing again every year would get old, or that taking field trips to the same location year after year would be repetitive. And, sure, gearing up to teach landlord-tenant law for the nth time can be a bit daunting.
Day 11 – The Gift of Students
By Karrigan Börk You might think that teaching the same thing again every year would get old, or that taking field trips to the same location year after year would be repetitive. And, sure, gearing up to teach landlord-tenant law for the nth time can be a bit daunting.
Day 10 – One lucky penny
A juvenile water penny beetle (Eubrianax edwardsii). Photo credit: Christine Parisek. By Christine A. Parisek Imagine a time you were standing at the edge of a creek – perhaps small pebbles and cobblestone were stacked along the shallow water edge, aquatic vegetation…
Day 10 – One lucky penny
A juvenile water penny beetle (Eubrianax edwardsii). Photo credit: Christine Parisek. By Christine A. Parisek Imagine a time you were standing at the edge of a creek – perhaps small pebbles and cobblestone were stacked along the shallow water edge, aquatic vegetation pushed its way in between, and a light breeze rustled the trees around you as the water swirled and lapped playfully at your feet.
Day 9 – A Visit From S.T. Nicholas
By Kimberly Evans Our view of the Suisun Marsh when the weather becomes chilly, including Kimberly’s (top right, that’s me!) dazzling tule perch, Abigale’s wondrous starry flounder (middle left), Lynette’s swift Sacramento splittail (middle right), Kyle’s…
Day 9 – A Visit From S.T. Nicholas
By Kimberly Evans Our view of the Suisun Marsh when the weather becomes chilly, including Kimberly’s (top right, that’s me!) dazzling tule perch, Abigale’s wondrous starry flounder (middle left), Lynette’s swift Sacramento splittail (middle right), Kyle’s voracious common carp (bottom left), and Alex’s humble shokihaze goby (bottom right). 'Twas a morning of field work, when all through our vanNot a researcher was sleeping, and to Suisun Marsh we ran;
Day 8 – Haikus
We invited haiku submissions from CWS members and friends to be a part of the 8th day of our California WaterBlog series, "12 Days of CWS". A haiku is a traditional Japanese three-line poem (5-7-5 syllables) that focuses on capturing a moment, feeling, or image. We hope you enjoy...…
Day 8 – Haikus
We invited haiku submissions from CWS members and friends to be a part of the 8th day of our California WaterBlog series, "12 Days of CWS". A haiku is a traditional Japanese three-line poem (5-7-5 syllables) that focuses on capturing a moment, feeling, or image. We hope you enjoy... and leave us your own haiku in the comments section below!
Day 7 – Pickles and Hidden Gems: The UC Davis Fish Collection
By Rachel Alsheikh Dr. Peter Moyle and Rachel Alsheikh in the Ichthyology Collection room. On the UC Davis campus, past the Watershed Sciences Building, past the cows and the Arboretum, there’s a nondescript building with a locked room.…
Day 7 – Pickles and Hidden Gems: The UC Davis Fish Collection
By Rachel Alsheikh Dr. Peter Moyle and Rachel Alsheikh in the Ichthyology Collection room. On the UC Davis campus, past the Watershed Sciences Building, past the cows and the Arboretum, there’s a nondescript building with a locked room. It’s a secret treasure trove: shelves upon shelves stacked with more than 8,000 jars of fish specimens preserved in ethanol. At over 30,000 fishes, it’s the fourth largest ichthyological research collection in the state, and it belongs to the…
Day 6 – Recharging Resilience: Balancing climate grief with curiosity and purpose
By Kira Zalis Waldman Intro to Water Science (ESM 100) students exploring UC Davis’ water systems through field visits - where curiosity, community, and on-the-ground learning helped transform questions into…
Day 6 – Recharging Resilience: Balancing climate grief with curiosity and purpose
By Kira Zalis Waldman Intro to Water Science (ESM 100) students exploring UC Davis’ water systems through field visits - where curiosity, community, and on-the-ground learning helped transform questions into purpose. Photos by Kira Zalis Waldman and Ethan Xie. Teaching hydrology means teaching in a world where climate awareness, and inherently climate grief, often walk into the classroom before I do.
Day 5 – A Day in the Life of an Indoor Ecologist
By Jonathan Walter Many ecologists spend substantial time conducting research in the field – but for some of us, our skillsets (e.g., statistics, mathematical models, data science) lend themselves to a different, more indoor career. Here’s what a…
Day 5 – A Day in the Life of an Indoor Ecologist
By Jonathan Walter Many ecologists spend substantial time conducting research in the field – but for some of us, our skillsets (e.g., statistics, mathematical models, data science) lend themselves to a different, more indoor career. Here’s what a typical workday might look like: 6:00 AM: Start the day with coffee on the couch. Gaze longingly at my green sturgeon art; wonder if I’ll ever see one in the wild.
Day 4 – The Ghost of Carp-mas Past!
By Kim Luke Kim Luke holding a common carp (Cyprinus carpio) while sampling in the UC Davis Arboretum. Photo credit Greg Urquiaga. Back in 2019, I began a project called the Carp Dependent Ecosystem Urgent Management (Carp-DEUM) Project. I started this project…
Day 4 – The Ghost of Carp-mas Past!
By Kim Luke Kim Luke holding a common carp (Cyprinus carpio) while sampling in the UC Davis Arboretum. Photo credit Greg Urquiaga. Back in 2019, I began a project called the Carp Dependent Ecosystem Urgent Management (Carp-DEUM) Project. I started this project as an undergraduate and continued it as a junior specialist and graduate student until 2022. The project was focused on the common carp (
Day 3 – An Ode to Gulls
By Lynette Williams Duman Clockwise from left to right: The Heermann’s Gull, Bonaparte’s Gull, Short-billed Gull, and Lesser Black-backed Gull. A small slice of winter visitors to California. (Images courtesy of Lynette Williams Duman and Konshau Duman). There is no better…
Day 3 – An Ode to Gulls
By Lynette Williams Duman Clockwise from left to right: The Heermann’s Gull, Bonaparte’s Gull, Short-billed Gull, and Lesser Black-backed Gull. A small slice of winter visitors to California. (Images courtesy of Lynette Williams Duman and Konshau Duman). There is no better cure for the winter blues than looking at birds, and there is no better group of birds to look at in the winter than gulls.
Day 2 – Fish Eye View
By Miranda Bell-Tilcock Adult salmon eye lens. Photo Credit: Johnson-Jeffres Lab. That’s no moon. That is the lens of a fish eye. While it looms large in the photo, this lens is tiny, approximately 3-5mm in diameter, similar to a small bead on a friendship bracelet. How did…
Day 2 – Fish Eye View
By Miranda Bell-Tilcock Adult salmon eye lens. Photo Credit: Johnson-Jeffres Lab. That’s no moon. That is the lens of a fish eye. While it looms large in the photo, this lens is tiny, approximately 3-5mm in diameter, similar to a small bead on a friendship bracelet. How did we even capture such a zoomed in photo of a small lens? We use a very nice built-in camera microscope to capture images like the one in today's blog.
Day 1 – Introducing “12 Days of CWS”
By Christine A. Parisek and Miranda Bell-Tilcock The California WaterBlog celebrates its 15th anniversary this January 2026, and so we thought we’d try out something a little special and festive this month. This December, we’re piloting a new short-post format…
Day 1 – Introducing “12 Days of CWS”
By Christine A. Parisek and Miranda Bell-Tilcock The California WaterBlog celebrates its 15th anniversary this January 2026, and so we thought we’d try out something a little special and festive this month. This December, we’re piloting a new short-post format series that will open up a small window into a day in the life of the Center for Watershed Sciences…
What’s next in river science? Takeaways from the International Symposium of River Science (ISRS) conference
By Miranda Bell-Tilcock and Sarah Yarnell A big thank you to everyone who attended the International Symposium of River Science (ISRS) conference, hosted by the Center for Watershed Sciences…
What’s next in river science? Takeaways from the International Symposium of River Science (ISRS) conference
By Miranda Bell-Tilcock and Sarah Yarnell A big thank you to everyone who attended the International Symposium of River Science (ISRS) conference, hosted by the Center for Watershed Sciences (CWS)! The International Symposium of River Science (ISRS) conference took place October 6th–9th and featured 4 days of speakers hailing from across the globe, many field trips, and an excellent evening of water-themed trivia.
Eight California Water Rites
By Jay Lund “Rite” noun:1. a religious or other solemn ceremony or act.2. a social custom, practice, or conventional act. California has complex and hallowed water rites. Here are some: Claim other water users are engaged in a “water grab” (when you grabbed it first).…
Eight California Water Rites
By Jay Lund “Rite” noun:1. a religious or other solemn ceremony or act.2. a social custom, practice, or conventional act. California has complex and hallowed water rites. Here are some: Claim other water users are engaged in a “water grab” (when you grabbed it first). Correlative rite 1.1: Declare a “water war”. Insist climate change will require actions you wanted even without climate change.
Announcing the International Fish Passage Conference 2026
Announcing the International Fish Passage Conference 2026
By Nann A. Fangue Scott River, CA. Nature-Like Fishway constructed in 2025 by the Yurok Tribe. Photo credit CDFW. UC Davis will host the International Fish Passage Conference on May 4-8, 2026. Please join us for this opportunity to engage with fish passage practitioners working across academia, government, utilities, consultancy, and other professional organizations while enjoying the beautiful springtime of Davis and the greater Sacramento region.
Physics and Chemistry of San Francisco Bay Sediments – Lectures by Professor Ray B. Krone, 1991
By Jay Lund, Jamie Anderson, William Fleenor, and Fabián A. Bombardelli Ray Krone (left) and fellow UC Davis professors Ian King (middle), Gerald T. Orlob (right), and George Tchobanoglous (not shown)…
Physics and Chemistry of San Francisco Bay Sediments – Lectures by Professor Ray B. Krone, 1991
By Jay Lund, Jamie Anderson, William Fleenor, and Fabián A. Bombardelli Ray Krone (left) and fellow UC Davis professors Ian King (middle), Gerald T. Orlob (right), and George Tchobanoglous (not shown) shaped generations of water professionals in California. Photo: 1999 San Francisco Bay is a tidally-energetic estuary where clay muds are the dominant sediment building wetlands, depositing in channels and harbors, and responding to sea level rise since San Francisco Bay was most recently inundated about 8,000 years ago.
Think Now about the Unthinkable in US Disaster Management
By Nicholas Pinter and David Conrad In a turbulent year for US disaster management, changes that seemed unthinkable a few months ago are now coming to pass. California leaders should be planning proactive responses now. The California Flood…
Think Now about the Unthinkable in US Disaster Management
By Nicholas Pinter and David Conrad In a turbulent year for US disaster management, changes that seemed unthinkable a few months ago are now coming to pass. California leaders should be planning proactive responses now. The California Flood Future Panel is now assessing potential impacts of federal changes to US disaster management, particularly considering proposed changes or elimination of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).
The search for flow metrics that support fish success – case study in Scott River, Siskiyou County, California
By Claire Kouba, Sarah Yarnell, Leland Scantlebury, and Thomas Harter How much water do fish really need, and is it possible to ask the fish? One approach to answering this question is to…
The search for flow metrics that support fish success – case study in Scott River, Siskiyou County, California
By Claire Kouba, Sarah Yarnell, Leland Scantlebury, and Thomas Harter How much water do fish really need, and is it possible to ask the fish? One approach to answering this question is to monitor the abundance of a local fish population over many years, and determine the degree to which observed streamflow correlates with fishery persistence, increase, or decline. We applied this approach in a recent…
It’s Elementary My Dear Walleye
By George Whitman, who is dressed as Dr. John Watson this Halloween While this Sherlockian mystery is fictional, it is inspired by a real event in which a Walleye was illegally introduced into Lake Cascade, Idaho. The events described below parallel the actual…
It’s Elementary My Dear Walleye
By George Whitman, who is dressed as Dr. John Watson this Halloween While this Sherlockian mystery is fictional, it is inspired by a real event in which a Walleye was illegally introduced into Lake Cascade, Idaho. The events described below parallel the actual research conducted to uncover its origins. Looking back over the notes of my many adventures with Sherlock Holmes, I cannot but reflect upon the remarkable variety of his methods.
Where are they now: Kelly Neal
“Where are they now:” is a blog series on the California WaterBlog, written in the voices of our alumni. The series celebrates the many alumni who got their start at the Center for Watershed Sciences (CWS) and have now gone on to bigger and better things. Blog posts…
Where are they now: Kelly Neal
“Where are they now:” is a blog series on the California WaterBlog, written in the voices of our alumni. The series celebrates the many alumni who got their start at the Center for Watershed Sciences (CWS) and have now gone on to bigger and better things. Blog posts from “Where are they now:” will be peppered throughout our regularly scheduled line up blogs, and they will highlight both former students and past employees of CWS.
Unleash your inner biologist! 🐟🦋🦇🐦
Come see live fish and bugs, go birdwatching, and explore animal collections at “Putah Creek Animal Adventures” – happening now at the Winters Community Library!
All ages are welcome and it’s free! Hosted by the Center for Watershed Sciences💧 and UCD MWFB🌿
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Exciting news! The International Fish Passage Conference will be held at UC Davis from May 4–8, 2026.
Session and workshop proposals are being accepted through October 31. Talk and poster abstracts will be accepted from November 17 to January 15.
Learn more:
watershed.ucdavis.edu/news/fish-pa...
Fish Passage Conference 2026
International Fish Passage Conference 2026 The International Fish Passage Conference will be hosted at UC Davis on May 4–8, 2026 at the campus' Conference Center.
Resilient California Fishes: Sacramento Sucker
By Peter Moyle and Tom Taylor ____________________ The fresh waters of California support a diverse native fish fauna, 130 taxa by our count (Leidy and Moyle 2021). At least 56 of these taxa are on trajectories towards extinction 7 are already…
Resilient California Fishes: Sacramento Sucker
By Peter Moyle and Tom Taylor ____________________ The fresh waters of California support a diverse native fish fauna, 130 taxa by our count (Leidy and Moyle 2021). At least 56 of these taxa are on trajectories towards extinction 7 are already extinct; 32 are listed as threatened or endangered by state and federal agencies. Not surprisingly, the declining species attract lots of attention because protecting them affects water use statewide.
Representing interannual variability for environmental flow operations: the functional flow regime
By Lindsay Murdoch, Sarah Yarnell, and Jay Lund California’s local communities and native ecosystems alike have adapted to cycles of flood, drought, and a healthy portion of everything in between.…
Representing interannual variability for environmental flow operations: the functional flow regime
By Lindsay Murdoch, Sarah Yarnell, and Jay Lund California’s local communities and native ecosystems alike have adapted to cycles of flood, drought, and a healthy portion of everything in between. Our river management, on the other hand, has fallen out of natural balance and tends to oscillate between insufficient minimum flows and emergency flood responses, missing much of what our rivers need most: the variability in between.
California: A Salmon Society?
By Carson Jeffres Consider for a moment the identity of the Pacific Northwest as a Salmon Society. When you fly into an airport in the Pacific Northwest, salmon are on the floors and walls as art. This art is an expression of societal values in which salmon are…
California: A Salmon Society?
By Carson Jeffres Consider for a moment the identity of the Pacific Northwest as a Salmon Society. When you fly into an airport in the Pacific Northwest, salmon are on the floors and walls as art. This art is an expression of societal values in which salmon are important. In contrast, when you fly into Sacramento you see art of a river, birds, agriculture, but the salmon are missing.
Don’t Let a Shutdown Wash Away U.S. Flood Protection
By Nicholas Pinter A US federal government shutdown is looming, potentially starting Oct. 1, with broad impacts across the government and across the country. The scope of these unfolding events is beyond the wheelhouse of the California Water…
Don’t Let a Shutdown Wash Away U.S. Flood Protection
By Nicholas Pinter A US federal government shutdown is looming, potentially starting Oct. 1, with broad impacts across the government and across the country. The scope of these unfolding events is beyond the wheelhouse of the California Water Blog. But pulled into the slipstream of this potential budget impasse is an important water issue. If Congress does not – or did not – act by midnight on Sept.
Happy New Water Year 2026! – following 2025’s Normal and Extreme Hydrology
By Jay Lund October 1 marks the beginning of California’s new Water Year (WY). Water years here run from October 1 until September 30 of the next calendar year and are named for the calendar year of the bulk of the water…
Happy New Water Year 2026! – following 2025’s Normal and Extreme Hydrology
By Jay Lund October 1 marks the beginning of California’s new Water Year (WY). Water years here run from October 1 until September 30 of the next calendar year and are named for the calendar year of the bulk of the water year (January-October). October 1 is also the nominal beginning of California’s wet season. California’s hydrology has two basic seasons, wet and dry, with the wet season nominally from October 1 – April 1 (Figure 1).
International Approaches to Freshwater Management
By Nicholas Pinter and Sarah Yarnell In late June and July of this year, UC Davis convened an Advanced Studies Institute (ASI) on “International Approaches to Freshwater Management,” bringing 11 top graduate students from across the US to study…
International Approaches to Freshwater Management
By Nicholas Pinter and Sarah Yarnell In late June and July of this year, UC Davis convened an Advanced Studies Institute (ASI) on “International Approaches to Freshwater Management,” bringing 11 top graduate students from across the US to study rivers and management systems in California, Italy, and the Netherlands. ASIs are funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) to engage US grad students in emergent global issues and collaborative international research.
The Texas Flood Tragedy was Predictable, but was it Preventable?
By Kathleen Schaefer Photograph: Brandon Bell/Getty Images In the wake of recent tragic events, such as the devastating floods in Texas, it's become clear that our current approach to flood management and disaster preparedness is…
The Texas Flood Tragedy was Predictable, but was it Preventable?
By Kathleen Schaefer Photograph: Brandon Bell/Getty Images In the wake of recent tragic events, such as the devastating floods in Texas, it's become clear that our current approach to flood management and disaster preparedness is falling short. The Associated Press reported that a flood warning system, which could have potentially saved lives, was left unfunded due to budget constraints (
California’s Amazing Terminal Lakes
By Peter B. Moyle Figure 1. Eagle Lake, Lassen Co. * This is a re-post of a blog originally published 11/26/2023. When Californians talk of lakes, they usually mean reservoirs, the 1500 or so artificial bodies of water behind dams. Alternately, they may be…
California’s Amazing Terminal Lakes
By Peter B. Moyle Figure 1. Eagle Lake, Lassen Co. * This is a re-post of a blog originally published 11/26/2023. When Californians talk of lakes, they usually mean reservoirs, the 1500 or so artificial bodies of water behind dams. Alternately, they may be referring to the 4,000 or so natural lakes in the Sierra Nevada or to one of the few large natural lakes in the state, such as Lake Tahoe or Clear Lake.
Being the Lorax
By Andrew L. Rypel “Way back in the days when the grass was still green and the pond was still wet and the clouds were still clean, and the song of the Swomee-Swans rang out in space...one morning, I came to this glorious place. And I first saw the trees! The Truffula Trees! The…
Being the Lorax
By Andrew L. Rypel “Way back in the days when the grass was still green and the pond was still wet and the clouds were still clean, and the song of the Swomee-Swans rang out in space...one morning, I came to this glorious place. And I first saw the trees! The Truffula Trees! The bright-colored tufts of the Truffula Trees! Mile after mile in the fresh morning breeze.” …
“Anyone out hiking in confined, rugged topography needs to be aware that we have this risk of flash flooding in California, kind of similar to Texas,”
@ucdaviswater.bsky.social expert Nicholas Pinter says. Learn more from the experts.
via
@kqednews.kqed.org
www.kqed.org/science/1997...
California Could Flood Like Texas. But Thunderstorms Likely Won’t Be to Blame | KQED
Deadly floods like Texas’ are rare in California, but climate change-fueled storms could make them more likely, climate scientists say — even in the Bay Area.
Change at the Center for Watershed Sciences
By Karrigan Börk Readers of the California Water Blog (Blog) may have noticed some changes over the past year. The Blog is a product of the UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences (CWS), and after many years of dedicated service, longtime CWS leaders Dr.…
Change at the Center for Watershed Sciences
By Karrigan Börk Readers of the California Water Blog (Blog) may have noticed some changes over the past year. The Blog is a product of the UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences (CWS), and after many years of dedicated service, longtime CWS leaders Dr. Andrew Rypel (Director) and Dr. Cathryn Lawrence (Assistant Director) are transitioning to new chapters.
Sites – The Permitting Process
By Christopher Mouawad This blog provides a glimpse into the complexity of permitting for large water projects like Sites. California water law is as intricate and varied as the systems it governs. What begins as a seemingly simple doctrine, such as “first in time,…
Sites – The Permitting Process
By Christopher Mouawad This blog provides a glimpse into the complexity of permitting for large water projects like Sites. California water law is as intricate and varied as the systems it governs. What begins as a seemingly simple doctrine, such as “first in time, first in right,” can quickly spiral into a labyrinth of layered principles, regulatory frameworks, and practical tradeoffs.
Announcing the 7th International Symposium on River Science
The International Society for River Science (ISRS) will hold the 7th International Symposium on River Science at the University of California, Davis on October 6-9, 2025. We invite you to attend! The first river symposium was held in 1979…
Announcing the 7th International Symposium on River Science
The International Society for River Science (ISRS) will hold the 7th International Symposium on River Science at the University of California, Davis on October 6-9, 2025. We invite you to attend! The first river symposium was held in 1979 in Norway, and rivers conferences have continued through the decades since, across the globe. Recent conferences have been held in La Crosse, Wisconsin (2015), Hamilton, New Zealand (2017), and Vienna, Austria (2019).
Where are they now: Caroline Newell
“Where are they now:” is a blog series on the California WaterBlog, written by our alumni. The series will celebrate the many alumni who got their start at the Center for Watershed Sciences (CWS) and have now gone on to bigger and better things. Blog posts from…
Where are they now: Caroline Newell
“Where are they now:” is a blog series on the California WaterBlog, written by our alumni. The series will celebrate the many alumni who got their start at the Center for Watershed Sciences (CWS) and have now gone on to bigger and better things. Blog posts from the “Where are they now:” series will be peppered throughout our regularly scheduled line up blogs, and they will highlight both former students and past employees of CWS.
Where are they now: Anna Sturrock
Registration is now open for the 7th International Symposium on River Science, held in Davis, California from Oct 6-9, 2025! Early Bird Registration will remain open until 15 August 2025. “Where are they now:” is a new blog series on the California WaterBlog,…
Where are they now: Anna Sturrock
Registration is now open for the 7th International Symposium on River Science, held in Davis, California from Oct 6-9, 2025! Early Bird Registration will remain open until 15 August 2025. “Where are they now:” is a new blog series on the California WaterBlog, written in the voices of our alumni. The series will celebrate the many alumni who got their start at the Center for Watershed Sciences (CWS) and have now gone on to bigger and better things.
Registration is now open for the 7th International Symposium on River Science, held in Davis, California from Oct 6-9, 2025! Early Bird Registration will remain open until 15 August 2025.
watershed.ucdavis.edu/news/7th-int...
7th International Symposium on River Science
The Registration Portal is now OPEN!Early Bird Registration will remain open until 15 August 2025.
Bargaining for Tribal Water in California
By Leslie Sanchez and Eric C. Edwards Stark power disparities between Native American tribes (tribes) and nontribal entities in California have shaped tribes’ legal standing to assert water rights claims, bargaining power in resolving claims, and the…
Bargaining for Tribal Water in California
By Leslie Sanchez and Eric C. Edwards Stark power disparities between Native American tribes (tribes) and nontribal entities in California have shaped tribes’ legal standing to assert water rights claims, bargaining power in resolving claims, and the ability to assert meaningful control over water rights. This post outlines the status of tribal water rights in California and explains why they differ from other states.
Microplastic Pollution: Impact on the SF Bay Delta and Remediation Strategies
"Microplastic Pollution: Impact on the SF Bay Delta and Remediation Strategies" Symposium with Delta Stewardship Council and Coastal Marine Sciences Institute By Miranda Bell-Tilcock In May, I had the privilege of…
Microplastic Pollution: Impact on the SF Bay Delta and Remediation Strategies
"Microplastic Pollution: Impact on the SF Bay Delta and Remediation Strategies" Symposium with Delta Stewardship Council and Coastal Marine Sciences Institute By Miranda Bell-Tilcock In May, I had the privilege of attending the Microplastic Pollution: Impact on the SF Bay Delta and Remediation Strategies symposium hosted by the Coastal Marine Sciences Institute (CMSI) and the Delta Stewardship Council (DSC).
AI explanations of California water management
By ChatGPT prompted by Jay Lund I was playing with ChatGPT and had some fun and insightful replies. (I’d interpret these insights, but I am no Professor of Literature, and it would probably get me into trouble. Please add your interpretations below…
AI explanations of California water management
By ChatGPT prompted by Jay Lund I was playing with ChatGPT and had some fun and insightful replies. (I’d interpret these insights, but I am no Professor of Literature, and it would probably get me into trouble. Please add your interpretations below in the replies.) 1) Prompt: Write a buzzword sentence on California water management. ChatGPT replied: "Our integrated, stakeholder-driven water management strategy leverages adaptive frameworks and scalable, nature-based solutions to optimize multi-benefit outcomes, ensuring climate resilience and equitable resource allocation across the hydrological nexus."
Where are they now: Mollie Ogaz
“Where are they now:” is the first in a new blog series on the California WaterBlog, written in the voices of our alumni. The series will celebrate the many alumni who got their start at the Center for Watershed Sciences (CWS) and have now gone on to bigger and…
Where are they now: Mollie Ogaz
“Where are they now:” is the first in a new blog series on the California WaterBlog, written in the voices of our alumni. The series will celebrate the many alumni who got their start at the Center for Watershed Sciences (CWS) and have now gone on to bigger and better things. Blog posts from the “Where are they now:” series will be peppered throughout our regularly scheduled line up blogs, and they will highlight both former students and past employees of CWS.
Build it, and they will come: Early evidence for establishment of Chinook salmon in Putah Creek, CA
By Lauren G. Hitt, Malte Willmes, Mackenzie C. Miner, Max Stevenson, Carson A. Jeffres, Robert A. Lusardi, Nann A. Fangue, and Andrew L. Rypel Figure 1. Putah Creek during salmon spawning season in…
Build it, and they will come: Early evidence for establishment of Chinook salmon in Putah Creek, CA
By Lauren G. Hitt, Malte Willmes, Mackenzie C. Miner, Max Stevenson, Carson A. Jeffres, Robert A. Lusardi, Nann A. Fangue, and Andrew L. Rypel Figure 1. Putah Creek during salmon spawning season in 2021. (Credit: LG Hitt) For the third year in a row, regulators have canceled California’s commercial Chinook salmon fishing season.Poor spawning salmon returns in 2024 and low predicted numbers of salmon in the ocean during 2025 prompted the decision.
Bull Trout and Other Endemic Fishes: McCloud River
By Peter B. Moyle McCloud River near mouth on Shasta Reservoir. / PC Peter B. Moyle There are about 130 fish species (as defined by the federal Endangered Species Act) native to the fresh waters of California. Most (80%) are arguably on…
Bull Trout and Other Endemic Fishes: McCloud River
By Peter B. Moyle McCloud River near mouth on Shasta Reservoir. / PC Peter B. Moyle There are about 130 fish species (as defined by the federal Endangered Species Act) native to the fresh waters of California. Most (80%) are arguably on trajectories to extinction. Seven species are already extirpated from the state (Thicktail Chub, Clear Lake Splittail, High Rock Springs Tui Chub, Bull Trout, Tecopa Pupfish, Humpback Chub, Colorado Pikeminnow).
Data for Lunch: Join us on June 17, 12-1:30pm PT for "Developing Drought Early Warning Systems in California", a virtual seminar by @UCDavisWater Associate Director, Dr. Alvar Escriva-Bou, hosted by the California Water Data Consortium!💧 Register:
watershed.ucdavis.edu/news/virtual...
Virtual Seminar – Data for Lunch: Developing Drought Early Warning Systems in California
Data for Lunch: Developing Drought Early Warning Systems in CaliforniaJoin us on Tuesday, June 17, 12-1:30pm PT for "Developing Drought Early Warning Systems in California", a virtual seminar by Cente...
