U.S. Bureau of Reclamation

A federal judge denied a request to pause California water infrastructure projects, ruling that environmental groups did not prove the projects violate the Endangered Species Act. The projects, including the Central Valley Project, are accused of harming fish species like Chinook salmon and steelhead trout due to changes in water temperature and salinity.

The Ninth Circuit ruled that the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation must comply with the Endangered Species Act when operating the Klamath Irrigation Project, affirming a lower court's decision. The 2-1 ruling emphasized that the ESA applies to the Bureau's operations and that water users' rights are subject to ESA requirements. The majority rejected claims of judicial taking and confirmed the lower court's jurisdiction.

Arizona, Nevada, and California have signed an agreement to explore an interstate pilot program using California's Carlsbad Desalination Plant to ease pressure on Lake Mead. The program would allow water transfers through existing infrastructure and credits, potentially stabilizing the reservoir during shortages without physically transporting desalinated water.

Western U.S. states are clashing over water rights on the Colorado River, which supplies water to major cities like Los Angeles and Phoenix. The dispute arises as declining river levels threaten to force severe water cuts for urban areas and agricultural regions.