The next California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) Secretary Speaker Series will focus on how federal cuts and attacks are effecting California’s efforts to ensure wildfire safety, water supplies, clean energy buildout, environmental protections, and preservation of public lands. “Cutting Through the Noise: Federal Impacts on California and What We’re Doing About It” will address how State agencies maintain progress on California’s key priorities during these challenging times. The hour-long online discussion will be on Thursday, July 10, starting at noon. Registration is required.

The inaugural California Native American Tribal GIS Summit will take place on Thursday and Friday, July 31 and August 1, in Sacramento at the CalEPA building. This free in-person event also offers a virtual option for attendees. Registration is open now; virtual registration closes on Friday, July 11. “Honoring Pace, Empowering Nations” will focus on the role that geographic information systems (GIS) mapping technology plays in supporting Tribal efforts to manage natural resources and protect cultural landscapes. Over the course of the summit, participants will explore the opportunities, challenges, and practical solutions related to GIS use in Tribal communities. For more information, download the summit’s agenda or visit the California Tribal GIS website.

The Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) released a report last month that takes a high-level look at 2023 water conditions in the Central Valley, the State’s largest watershed. How Much Water Is Available for Groundwater Recharge in the Central Valley? examines the amount of water needed to comply with environmental regulations in the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta and how much might have been made available for other purposes, including groundwater recharge. This analysis also provides a starting point for understanding opportunities and constraints in drier years, when the tradeoffs with downstream uses — particularly exports from the south Delta by the State and federal water projects — would loom larger.

The Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation (LCI), California’s principal planning agency, has added a second virtual project launch workshop for its comprehensive update of the State’s General Plan Guidelines, Specific Plan Guidelines, and Tribal Consultation Guidelines. The first workshop will be on Tuesday, July 15, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. The newly added second workshop is scheduled for Thursday, July 17, from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Each workshop will include a brief overview of LCI and the LCI Planning Guidelines update process and break-out session for participants to share insights on the content and structure of the guidelines. Registration is required for each workshop. More information about this project and information about joining an advisory group is available on the LCI website.

The Delta Stewardship Council (DSC) has extended the deadline to submit project ideas for their 2025–2026 Science for Communities (SFC) initiative. The new deadline is Friday, July 18. Communities, including tribes and local public agencies, that reside in or have ties to the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta or Suisun Marsh are invited to participate in the initiative. The initiative promotes the sharing of knowledge, tools, and data to support relationship building, collaboration to address social-environmental issues, and funding access for further research and training. Project ideas must be submitted via the DSC’s survey form. Projects will begin in summer 2025 and be completed in fall 2026. To learn more, please see the DSC’s SFC information sheet.

For those who missed the June 24 Basin Characterization Exchange (BCX) meeting that featured a discussion on Data2HSM, a suite of machine-learning-based methods designed to streamline the development of hydrostratigraphic models, a recording of the meeting and the meeting's presentation slides are now available on the BCX Hub.