window.__IS_SSR__=true
window.__INITIAL_STATE__={
"attachmentsReducer": {
"audio_0": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_0",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background0.jpg"
}
}
},
"audio_1": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_1",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background1.jpg"
}
}
},
"audio_2": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_2",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background2.jpg"
}
}
},
"audio_3": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_3",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background3.jpg"
}
}
},
"audio_4": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_4",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background4.jpg"
}
}
},
"placeholder": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "placeholder",
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-800x533.jpg",
"width": 800,
"height": 533,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-768x512.jpg",
"width": 768,
"height": 512,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"height": 680,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"fd-lrg": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"fd-med": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"height": 680,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"fd-sm": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-800x533.jpg",
"width": 800,
"height": 533,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"xxsmall": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"xsmall": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"small": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"xlarge": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"height": 680,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1920x1280.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"height": 1280,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-32": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 32,
"height": 32,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-50": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 50,
"height": 50,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-64": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 64,
"height": 64,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-96": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 96,
"height": 96,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-128": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 128,
"height": 128,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"detail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1333
}
}
},
"science_1994691": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "science_1994691",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1994691",
"found": true
},
"title": "People flock beaches in San Francisco as heat wave warning issued in California",
"publishDate": 1728497335,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1773435985,
"caption": "People enjoy the warm weather at San Francisco's Baker Beach on June 4, 2024, as a heat wave warning sweeps across California. Bay Area weather forecasters expect increased heat and wildfire risks by the end of this week. They also warned of minor flooding risks from high tides on Tuesday night. ",
"credit": "Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"medium": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/SFHeatWaveGetty3-800x600.jpg",
"width": 800,
"height": 600,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/SFHeatWaveGetty3-1020x765.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"height": 765,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/SFHeatWaveGetty3-160x120.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 120,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/SFHeatWaveGetty3-768x576.jpg",
"width": 768,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/SFHeatWaveGetty3-1536x1152.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1152,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/SFHeatWaveGetty3-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/SFHeatWaveGetty3-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/SFHeatWaveGetty3-1920x1440.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"height": 1440,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/SFHeatWaveGetty3.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1500
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"science_1996961": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "science_1996961",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1996961",
"found": true
},
"title": "20250519_SICKPELICANS_GC-38-KQED",
"publishDate": 1747871782,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1747871983,
"caption": "Rescued California Brown Pelicans at an outdoor pen at International Bird Rescue in Fairfield on May 19, 2025.",
"credit": "Gina Castro/KQED",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"medium": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SICKPELICANS_GC-38-KQED-800x533.jpg",
"width": 800,
"height": 533,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SICKPELICANS_GC-38-KQED-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"height": 680,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SICKPELICANS_GC-38-KQED-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SICKPELICANS_GC-38-KQED-768x512.jpg",
"width": 768,
"height": 512,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SICKPELICANS_GC-38-KQED-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SICKPELICANS_GC-38-KQED-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SICKPELICANS_GC-38-KQED-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SICKPELICANS_GC-38-KQED-1920x1280.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"height": 1280,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SICKPELICANS_GC-38-KQED.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1333
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"science_1997000": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "science_1997000",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1997000",
"found": true
},
"title": "Morning rush hour commuters travel on westbound Interstate 80 below blank electronic messaging signs near University Avenue in Berkeley, Calif. on Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2018. A network of informational signs, installed above westbound lanes between the Carqu",
"publishDate": 1747956489,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 1996968,
"modified": 1747956521,
"caption": "Morning rush hour commuters travel on westbound Interstate 80 in Berkeley on Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2018.",
"credit": "Paul Chinn/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"medium": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/GETTYIMAGES-1298922820-KQED-800x522.jpg",
"width": 800,
"height": 522,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/GETTYIMAGES-1298922820-KQED-1020x666.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"height": 666,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/GETTYIMAGES-1298922820-KQED-160x104.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 104,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/GETTYIMAGES-1298922820-KQED-768x502.jpg",
"width": 768,
"height": 502,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/GETTYIMAGES-1298922820-KQED-1536x1003.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1003,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/GETTYIMAGES-1298922820-KQED-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/GETTYIMAGES-1298922820-KQED-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/GETTYIMAGES-1298922820-KQED-1920x1254.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"height": 1254,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/GETTYIMAGES-1298922820-KQED.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1306
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"science_1996987": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "science_1996987",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1996987",
"found": true
},
"title": "California In Third Consecutive Year Of Drought",
"publishDate": 1747945355,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 1996980,
"modified": 1747946403,
"caption": "Dead trees stand where a forest burned in 2016 near Horseshoe Meadows in the Sierra Nevada Mountains on Aug. 21, 2022, near Lone Pine, California. ",
"credit": "David McNew/Getty Images",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"medium": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/CASnowpackGetty-800x534.jpg",
"width": 800,
"height": 534,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/CASnowpackGetty-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"height": 680,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/CASnowpackGetty-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/CASnowpackGetty-768x512.jpg",
"width": 768,
"height": 512,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/CASnowpackGetty-1536x1025.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1025,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/CASnowpackGetty-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/CASnowpackGetty-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/CASnowpackGetty-1920x1281.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"height": 1281,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/CASnowpackGetty.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1334
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"science_1996921": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "science_1996921",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1996921",
"found": true
},
"title": "Sacramento delta",
"publishDate": 1747769404,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 1996916,
"modified": 1747769492,
"caption": "Three Mile Slough Bridge on Sept. 10, 2021. The bridge runs alongside the Sacramento River, which is a main tributary of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. The Delta is the hub of California’s water supply, distributing fresh water to two-thirds of the state’s population and millions of acres of farmland.",
"credit": "Joyce Tsai/KQED",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"medium": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/SacramentoDelta-8_qed-800x533.jpg",
"width": 800,
"height": 533,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/SacramentoDelta-8_qed-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"height": 680,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/SacramentoDelta-8_qed-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/SacramentoDelta-8_qed-768x512.jpg",
"width": 768,
"height": 512,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/SacramentoDelta-8_qed-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/SacramentoDelta-8_qed-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/SacramentoDelta-8_qed-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/SacramentoDelta-8_qed-1920x1280.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"height": 1280,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/SacramentoDelta-8_qed.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1333
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"science_1996804": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "science_1996804",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1996804",
"found": true
},
"title": "SFChronicleDeltaProject",
"publishDate": 1747260319,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 1996769,
"modified": 1747260348,
"caption": "The potential site of the water tunnel center intake on the Sacramento River, Sunday, March 1, 2020, in Courtland, California. Fishermen, water sports advocates, farmers and environmentalists are lining up on differing sides of the issue regarding plans to build a tunnel system to move San Joaquin River Delta water to southern California. ",
"credit": "Santiago Mejia/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"medium": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/DeltaGetty-800x450.jpg",
"width": 800,
"height": 450,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/DeltaGetty-1020x574.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"height": 574,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/DeltaGetty-160x90.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 90,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/DeltaGetty-768x432.jpg",
"width": 768,
"height": 432,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/DeltaGetty-1536x864.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 864,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/DeltaGetty-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/DeltaGetty-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/DeltaGetty-1920x1080.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"height": 1080,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/DeltaGetty.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1125
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"science_1973377": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "science_1973377",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1973377",
"found": true
},
"parent": 1973372,
"imgSizes": {
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/RS48091_GettyImages-507138914-qut-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 576
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/RS48091_GettyImages-507138914-qut-160x108.jpg",
"width": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 108
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/RS48091_GettyImages-507138914-qut-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/RS48091_GettyImages-507138914-qut.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"height": 1291
},
"large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/RS48091_GettyImages-507138914-qut-1020x686.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 686
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/RS48091_GettyImages-507138914-qut-1536x1033.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1033
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/RS48091_GettyImages-507138914-qut-800x538.jpg",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 538
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/RS48091_GettyImages-507138914-qut-768x516.jpg",
"width": 768,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 516
}
},
"publishDate": 1616692723,
"modified": 1616714564,
"caption": "Houses hang on the edge of an eroding cliff in Pacifica, California, on Jan. 27, 2016.\nStorms and powerful waves caused by El Nino have been intensifying erosion along nearby coastal bluffs and beaches in the area. ",
"description": null,
"title": "RS48091_GettyImages-507138914-qut",
"credit": "Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images)",
"status": "inherit",
"altTag": null,
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"science_1996730": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "science_1996730",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1996730",
"found": true
},
"title": "SFChronicleSeaLevelRise",
"publishDate": 1746736492,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 1996728,
"modified": 1746740836,
"caption": "Millennium Tower (left) and the Salesforce building on Mission Street on Feb. 17, 2021, in San Francisco, California. Construction crews are working to stabilize the foundation of the 645-foot Millennium Tower, which has sunk 16 inches since it was completed in 2009. A researcher has calculated that the Bay Area region has subsided 3 inches from the combined weight of a century's worth of development, triggering concerns about sea level rise, coastal flooding and damage.",
"credit": "Gabrielle Lurie/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"medium": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/SanFranciscoSinkingGetty-800x533.jpg",
"width": 800,
"height": 533,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/SanFranciscoSinkingGetty-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"height": 680,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/SanFranciscoSinkingGetty-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/SanFranciscoSinkingGetty-768x512.jpg",
"width": 768,
"height": 512,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/SanFranciscoSinkingGetty-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/SanFranciscoSinkingGetty-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/SanFranciscoSinkingGetty-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/SanFranciscoSinkingGetty-1920x1280.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"height": 1280,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/SanFranciscoSinkingGetty.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1333
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"science_1996627": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "science_1996627",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1996627",
"found": true
},
"title": "250409-DELTAINSURANCE-05-BL-KQED-1",
"publishDate": 1744669927,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1744669938,
"caption": "The downtown of Isleton along the Sacramento River in the Sacramento Delta on April 9, 2025.",
"credit": "Beth LaBerge/KQED",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"medium": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250409-DELTAINSURANCE-05-BL-KQED-1-800x533.jpg",
"width": 800,
"height": 533,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250409-DELTAINSURANCE-05-BL-KQED-1-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"height": 680,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250409-DELTAINSURANCE-05-BL-KQED-1-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250409-DELTAINSURANCE-05-BL-KQED-1-768x512.jpg",
"width": 768,
"height": 512,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250409-DELTAINSURANCE-05-BL-KQED-1-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250409-DELTAINSURANCE-05-BL-KQED-1-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250409-DELTAINSURANCE-05-BL-KQED-1-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250409-DELTAINSURANCE-05-BL-KQED-1-1920x1280.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"height": 1280,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250409-DELTAINSURANCE-05-BL-KQED-1.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1333
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"science_1996670": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "science_1996670",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1996670",
"found": true
},
"title": "20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-12-KQED",
"publishDate": 1745410334,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1745410479,
"caption": "Dozens of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) workers and supporters attend an Earth Day celebration rally to highlight the work they’ve done and to demand the Trump administration to stop dismantling the agency, in Rincon Park, in San Francisco on April 22, 2025.",
"credit": "Gina Castro/KQED",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"medium": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-12-KQED-800x533.jpg",
"width": 800,
"height": 533,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-12-KQED-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"height": 680,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-12-KQED-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-12-KQED-768x512.jpg",
"width": 768,
"height": 512,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-12-KQED-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-12-KQED-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-12-KQED-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-12-KQED-1920x1280.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"height": 1280,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-12-KQED.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1333
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"science_1996591": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "science_1996591",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1996591",
"found": true
},
"title": "California's Wildflower Superbloom Arrives",
"publishDate": 1744052150,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 1996589,
"modified": 1744065060,
"caption": "Following recent heavy rains, the hillsides and pastures are covered in a carpet of goldfields and other wildflowers, drawing thousands of visitors to this remote part of California on March 26, 2023, near Cuyama, California. ",
"credit": "George Rose/Getty Images",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"medium": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/WildflowersGetty-800x532.jpg",
"width": 800,
"height": 532,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/WildflowersGetty-1020x678.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"height": 678,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/WildflowersGetty-160x106.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 106,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/WildflowersGetty-768x511.jpg",
"width": 768,
"height": 511,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/WildflowersGetty-1536x1021.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1021,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/WildflowersGetty-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/WildflowersGetty-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/WildflowersGetty-1920x1277.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"height": 1277,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/WildflowersGetty.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1330
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"science_1996283": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "science_1996283",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1996283",
"found": true
},
"title": "19 1115_0531.NEF",
"publishDate": 1741799242,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1741972214,
"caption": "A subterranean giant: The Des Plaines tunnel, a one-mile stretch of Chicago’s ambitious Tunnel and Reservoir Plan (TARP), spans 20 feet in diameter and sits 250 feet underground. This massive tunnel, photographed on Nov. 15, 2019, is a crucial link to the McCook Reservoir, designed to combat flooding and improve water quality by capturing stormwater and sewer overflows.",
"credit": "Courtesy of Dan Wendt/MWRDGC",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"medium": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/19-1115_0531-800x532.jpg",
"width": 800,
"height": 532,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/19-1115_0531-1020x679.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"height": 679,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/19-1115_0531-160x106.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 106,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/19-1115_0531-768x511.jpg",
"width": 768,
"height": 511,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/19-1115_0531-1536x1022.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1022,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/19-1115_0531-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/19-1115_0531-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/19-1115_0531-1920x1278.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"height": 1278,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/19-1115_0531.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1331
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
}
},
"audioPlayerReducer": {
"postId": "stream_live",
"isPaused": true,
"isPlaying": false,
"pfsActive": false,
"pledgeModalIsOpen": true,
"playerDrawerIsOpen": false,
"liveAudioPlayStartedAt": 0,
"liveAudioPlayContext": ""
},
"authorsReducer": {
"byline_science_1996948": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "byline_science_1996948",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"slug": "byline_science_1996948",
"name": "Anna FitzGerald Guth",
"isLoading": false
},
"byline_science_1996611": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "byline_science_1996611",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"slug": "byline_science_1996611",
"name": "Anna FitzGerald Guth",
"isLoading": false
},
"lklivans": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "8648",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "8648",
"found": true
},
"name": "Laura Klivans",
"firstName": "Laura",
"lastName": "Klivans",
"slug": "lklivans",
"email": "lklivans@kqed.org",
"display_author_email": true,
"staff_mastheads": [
"news",
"science"
],
"title": "Reporter",
"bio": "Laura Klivans is an award-winning science reporter for KQED News, where she covers climate change with an eye on both groundbreaking progress and gaps in action. She is the former host of KQED's blockbuster video series about tiny, amazing animals, \u003cem>Deep Look\u003c/em>. Her work reaches national audiences through NPR, \u003cem>Here & Now, \u003c/em>PRI, and other major outlets. \r\n\r\nLaura’s won five Northern California Area Emmy Awards for Deep Look and First Place in the Greater Bay Area Journalism Awards for a podcast exploring how one Oakland neighborhood teamed up to reduce planet-heating pollution.\r\n\r\nBeyond her reporting, she hosts and moderates events. In the past, she taught audio storytelling at the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism, led international education programs, worked with immigrants and refugees along the Thai-Burmese border, taught high schoolers sex ed, and was an actress. \r\n\r\nShe's a former UC Berkeley Human Rights Fellow, USC Center for Health Journalism's California Fellow and Coro Fellow in Public Affairs. Laura has a master’s in journalism from UC Berkeley, a master’s in education from Harvard, and an undergraduate degree from Northwestern University.\r\n\r\nShe loves trying to riddle the meaning out of vanity license plates.",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/af8e757bb8ce7b7fee6160ba66e37327?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": "lauraklivans",
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "stateofhealth",
"roles": [
"contributor",
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "science",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "forum",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Laura Klivans | KQED",
"description": "Reporter",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/af8e757bb8ce7b7fee6160ba66e37327?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/af8e757bb8ce7b7fee6160ba66e37327?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/lklivans"
},
"smohamad": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "11631",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "11631",
"found": true
},
"name": "Sarah Mohamad",
"firstName": "Sarah",
"lastName": "Mohamad",
"slug": "smohamad",
"email": "smohamad@KQED.org",
"display_author_email": true,
"staff_mastheads": [],
"title": "Engagement Producer and Reporter, KQED Science",
"bio": "Sarah Mohamad is an audience engagement reporter and producer for KQED Science. She reports on audience-focused science and environment stories and manages the team's social media, newsletter, and engagement efforts. Prior to this role, she played a key role as project manager for NSF's \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/crackingthecode\">\u003cem>Cracking the Code: Influencing Millennial Science Engagement\u003c/em> \u003c/a>audience research.",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/e6224957cd82d015183756ddde1f928013a563d7ca2e4565f8c4de1ec64886c5?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": "sarahkmohamad",
"bluesky": null,
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "arts",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "about",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "science",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Sarah Mohamad | KQED",
"description": "Engagement Producer and Reporter, KQED Science",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/e6224957cd82d015183756ddde1f928013a563d7ca2e4565f8c4de1ec64886c5?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/e6224957cd82d015183756ddde1f928013a563d7ca2e4565f8c4de1ec64886c5?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/smohamad"
},
"eromero": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "11746",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "11746",
"found": true
},
"name": "Ezra David Romero",
"firstName": "Ezra David",
"lastName": "Romero",
"slug": "eromero",
"email": "eromero@kqed.org",
"display_author_email": true,
"staff_mastheads": [
"news",
"science"
],
"title": "Climate Reporter",
"bio": "Ezra David Romero is a climate reporter for KQED News. He covers the absence and excess of water in the Bay Area — think sea level rise, flooding and drought. For nearly a decade he’s covered how warming temperatures are altering the lives of Californians. He’s reported on farmers worried their pistachio trees aren’t getting enough sleep, families desperate for water, scientists studying dying giant sequoias, and alongside firefighters containing wildfires. His work has appeared on local stations across California and nationally on public radio shows like Morning Edition, Here and Now, All Things Considered and Science Friday. ",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/9c15bb8bab267e058708a9eeaeef16bf?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": "ezraromero",
"bluesky": null,
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "arts",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "science",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "liveblog",
"roles": [
"author"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Ezra David Romero | KQED",
"description": "Climate Reporter",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/9c15bb8bab267e058708a9eeaeef16bf?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/9c15bb8bab267e058708a9eeaeef16bf?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/eromero"
}
},
"pagesReducer": {
"science_tag_climate-change": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_194",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "194",
"score": 7.9436955
},
"featImg": null,
"name": "climate change",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "climate change Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 198,
"slug": "climate-change",
"isLoading": false,
"title": "climate change",
"pageMeta": {
"site": "science",
"WpPageTemplate": "page-topic-editorial",
"currentPage": 5
},
"blocks": [
{
"blockName": "kqed/post-list",
"attrs": {
"layout": "cardArticle2",
"query": "posts/science?tag=climate-change",
"seeMore": false,
"paginated": true,
"page": 5
}
},
{
"blockName": "kqed/ad"
}
]
}
},
"pfsSessionReducer": {},
"postsReducer": {
"stream_live": {
"type": "live",
"id": "stream_live",
"audioUrl": "https://streams.kqed.org/kqedradio",
"title": "Live Stream",
"excerpt": "Live Stream information currently unavailable.",
"link": "/radio",
"featImg": "",
"label": {
"name": "KQED Live",
"link": "/"
}
},
"stream_kqedNewscast": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "stream_kqedNewscast",
"audioUrl": "https://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/radio/RDnews/newscast.mp3?_=1",
"title": "KQED Newscast",
"featImg": "",
"label": {
"name": "88.5 FM",
"link": "/"
}
},
"science_1997037": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "science_1997037",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1997037",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1748374249000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "hottest-event-of-the-year-bay-area-braces-for-elevated-heat-and-high-tides-too",
"title": "‘Hottest Event of the Year’: Bay Area Braces for Elevated Heat — and High Tides, Too",
"publishDate": 1748374249,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "‘Hottest Event of the Year’: Bay Area Braces for Elevated Heat — and High Tides, Too | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>After milder weather over \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12041463/memorial-day-weekend-weather-wont-feel-summer-much-bay-area\">Memorial Day weekend\u003c/a>, the Bay Area is forecast to see its hottest temperatures of the year later this week.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With highs pushing triple digits in the warmest parts of the region on Friday, National Weather Service meteorologists are encouraging residents to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1996980/californias-snowpack-shrinks-igniting-concerns-of-early-wildfires\">prepare for wildfire risk\u003c/a> and moderate to major heat risks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Forecasters also warned of minor flooding risks along the bay shoreline on Tuesday night, due to high tides expected to peak at 6.88 feet around midnight. The flooding isn’t supposed to be as impactful as a king tide. Still, the perigean spring tides — due to the moon being in the new phase and closest to Earth — will bring “nuisance flooding with impacts mainly for the lowest lying locations,” according to the weather service’s \u003ca href=\"https://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?format=CI&glossary=1&issuedby=MTR&product=AFD&site=MTR&version=1\">daily forecast discussion\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>San Francisco’s “Embarcadero may experience a little bit of flooding and places in the North Bay along the San Pablo Bay,” said Roger Gass, a meteorologist with the weather service’s Bay Area office.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As temperatures begin to rise, the interior parts of the Bay Area will see moderate heat risk and localized areas across portions of the North Bay, the interior mountains, the East Bay hills and the interior Central Coast could see major heat risk.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1994662\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1994662\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/CaliforniaHeatWaveAP.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1290\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/CaliforniaHeatWaveAP.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/CaliforniaHeatWaveAP-800x516.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/CaliforniaHeatWaveAP-1020x658.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/CaliforniaHeatWaveAP-160x103.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/CaliforniaHeatWaveAP-768x495.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/CaliforniaHeatWaveAP-1536x991.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/CaliforniaHeatWaveAP-1920x1238.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Two women play in the water at Shadow Cliffs Regional Recreation Area in Pleasanton, California, on Aug. 17, 2015. \u003ccite>(Jeff Chiu/AP Photo)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Forecasters expect temperatures to peak on Friday, with interior valleys reaching the mid-90s to 106 degrees. It’s expected to reach 99 degrees in Concord and Livermore, and places like Cloverdale and Healdsburg could experience triple-digit heat.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re forecasting it to be the hottest event of the year currently, but if anything, we’ll likely be issuing advisories for the interior areas either later today or during the overnight shift,” Gass said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It will remain hot on Saturday with highs in the middle to upper 90s. Gass said the warm temperatures will also bring elevated fire weather concerns on Friday into Saturday, as daytime relative humidity will be in the low teens and only slightly rise overnight above 2,000 feet.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Across the warmest areas, we urge people to take breaks during the hottest time of the day, make sure you have access to shady locations, and never leave pets or children in a car unattended,” Gass said.[aside postID=science_1996948 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SICKPELICANS_GC-38-KQED-1020x680.jpg']If the marine layer compresses enough, Gass said San Francisco could also warm up. The service’s forecast discussion suggests that “a lack of stronger offshore flow will keep coastal areas in check. However, they`ll still be warm, but not in an impactful way with max temps in the upper 60s to mid-80s.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If the marine layer doesn’t keep us cool, we could see moderate risk extend into the city, but we’re still evaluating that,” Gass said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Daniel Swain, a climate scientist with UC Agriculture and Natural Resources and UCLA, said the warm-up might be a preview of what could be a very hot summer statewide.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The last couple of days in May and the first couple of days in June look particularly hot, including in Northern California and the Bay Area, than they have so far this season,” Swain said during his semi-regular \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIZeJxLF36U\">YouTube office hours\u003c/a> on Friday. “The rest of California and the West and Southwest will be quite toasty as well.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Swain said a hot summer, if it materializes, would exacerbate drought conditions across much of the state.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The West is mostly in drought,” he said.”Most of these droughts are going to get worse before they get better.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Forecasters are also paying attention to late next week when a low-pressure system, if it sets up, could bring isolated showers to the Sierra Nevada and Bay Area.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This kind of scenario could produce some lightning or even the potential for an isolated dry or thunderstorm or two if it were to come to fruition,” Swain said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "Bay Area weather forecasters expect increased heat risk and wildfire risk by the end of this week. They also warned of minor flooding risks from high tides on Tuesday night. ",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1748375693,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 18,
"wordCount": 718
},
"headData": {
"title": "‘Hottest Event of the Year’: Bay Area Braces for Elevated Heat — and High Tides, Too | KQED",
"description": "Bay Area weather forecasters expect increased heat risk and wildfire risk by the end of this week. They also warned of minor flooding risks from high tides on Tuesday night. ",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "‘Hottest Event of the Year’: Bay Area Braces for Elevated Heat — and High Tides, Too",
"datePublished": "2025-05-27T12:30:49-07:00",
"dateModified": "2025-05-27T12:54:53-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"source": "News",
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-1997037",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/science/1997037/hottest-event-of-the-year-bay-area-braces-for-elevated-heat-and-high-tides-too",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>After milder weather over \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12041463/memorial-day-weekend-weather-wont-feel-summer-much-bay-area\">Memorial Day weekend\u003c/a>, the Bay Area is forecast to see its hottest temperatures of the year later this week.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With highs pushing triple digits in the warmest parts of the region on Friday, National Weather Service meteorologists are encouraging residents to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1996980/californias-snowpack-shrinks-igniting-concerns-of-early-wildfires\">prepare for wildfire risk\u003c/a> and moderate to major heat risks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Forecasters also warned of minor flooding risks along the bay shoreline on Tuesday night, due to high tides expected to peak at 6.88 feet around midnight. The flooding isn’t supposed to be as impactful as a king tide. Still, the perigean spring tides — due to the moon being in the new phase and closest to Earth — will bring “nuisance flooding with impacts mainly for the lowest lying locations,” according to the weather service’s \u003ca href=\"https://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?format=CI&glossary=1&issuedby=MTR&product=AFD&site=MTR&version=1\">daily forecast discussion\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>San Francisco’s “Embarcadero may experience a little bit of flooding and places in the North Bay along the San Pablo Bay,” said Roger Gass, a meteorologist with the weather service’s Bay Area office.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As temperatures begin to rise, the interior parts of the Bay Area will see moderate heat risk and localized areas across portions of the North Bay, the interior mountains, the East Bay hills and the interior Central Coast could see major heat risk.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1994662\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1994662\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/CaliforniaHeatWaveAP.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1290\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/CaliforniaHeatWaveAP.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/CaliforniaHeatWaveAP-800x516.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/CaliforniaHeatWaveAP-1020x658.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/CaliforniaHeatWaveAP-160x103.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/CaliforniaHeatWaveAP-768x495.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/CaliforniaHeatWaveAP-1536x991.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/CaliforniaHeatWaveAP-1920x1238.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Two women play in the water at Shadow Cliffs Regional Recreation Area in Pleasanton, California, on Aug. 17, 2015. \u003ccite>(Jeff Chiu/AP Photo)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Forecasters expect temperatures to peak on Friday, with interior valleys reaching the mid-90s to 106 degrees. It’s expected to reach 99 degrees in Concord and Livermore, and places like Cloverdale and Healdsburg could experience triple-digit heat.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re forecasting it to be the hottest event of the year currently, but if anything, we’ll likely be issuing advisories for the interior areas either later today or during the overnight shift,” Gass said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It will remain hot on Saturday with highs in the middle to upper 90s. Gass said the warm temperatures will also bring elevated fire weather concerns on Friday into Saturday, as daytime relative humidity will be in the low teens and only slightly rise overnight above 2,000 feet.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Across the warmest areas, we urge people to take breaks during the hottest time of the day, make sure you have access to shady locations, and never leave pets or children in a car unattended,” Gass said.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "science_1996948",
"hero": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SICKPELICANS_GC-38-KQED-1020x680.jpg",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>If the marine layer compresses enough, Gass said San Francisco could also warm up. The service’s forecast discussion suggests that “a lack of stronger offshore flow will keep coastal areas in check. However, they`ll still be warm, but not in an impactful way with max temps in the upper 60s to mid-80s.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If the marine layer doesn’t keep us cool, we could see moderate risk extend into the city, but we’re still evaluating that,” Gass said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Daniel Swain, a climate scientist with UC Agriculture and Natural Resources and UCLA, said the warm-up might be a preview of what could be a very hot summer statewide.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The last couple of days in May and the first couple of days in June look particularly hot, including in Northern California and the Bay Area, than they have so far this season,” Swain said during his semi-regular \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIZeJxLF36U\">YouTube office hours\u003c/a> on Friday. “The rest of California and the West and Southwest will be quite toasty as well.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Swain said a hot summer, if it materializes, would exacerbate drought conditions across much of the state.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The West is mostly in drought,” he said.”Most of these droughts are going to get worse before they get better.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Forecasters are also paying attention to late next week when a low-pressure system, if it sets up, could bring isolated showers to the Sierra Nevada and Bay Area.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This kind of scenario could produce some lightning or even the potential for an isolated dry or thunderstorm or two if it were to come to fruition,” Swain said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/science/1997037/hottest-event-of-the-year-bay-area-braces-for-elevated-heat-and-high-tides-too",
"authors": [
"11746"
],
"categories": [
"science_31",
"science_4550",
"science_40"
],
"tags": [
"science_856",
"science_2924",
"science_182",
"science_194",
"science_4414",
"science_2114",
"science_2184",
"science_383",
"science_5183",
"science_365",
"science_5347"
],
"featImg": "science_1994691",
"label": "source_science_1997037"
},
"science_1996948": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "science_1996948",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1996948",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1748005221000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "californias-pelicans-are-once-again-starving-this-year-its-the-babies",
"title": "California’s Pelicans Are Once Again Starving. This Year, It’s the Babies",
"publishDate": 1748005221,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "California’s Pelicans Are Once Again Starving. This Year, It’s the Babies | KQED",
"labelTerm": {
"site": "science"
},
"content": "\u003cp>A baby \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1992933/california-has-a-theory-on-why-brown-pelicans-are-starving-and-dying\">pelican\u003c/a> traveled at least 500 miles up California’s coast before landing near Mendocino alone on May 10 — exhausted and starving.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now, the fledgling is in the care of International Bird Rescue, which took in an above-average number of emaciated young brown pelicans so far this spring. It’s the third \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1992933/california-has-a-theory-on-why-brown-pelicans-are-starving-and-dying\">starvation event\u003c/a> in four years for the iconic California seabirds. Experts can’t fully explain why, though they said climate change is at play.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Everything’s getting weirder,” said Corinne Gibble, a marine bird specialist for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. “We’re having \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1993633/algal-blooms-love-heat-waves-when-is-bay-area-swimming-dangerous-for-humans-and-pets\">harmful algal blooms\u003c/a> and more unexpected weather events. What we can do is get more birds into rehab and better the science around helping them.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To explain last year’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1992933/california-has-a-theory-on-why-brown-pelicans-are-starving-and-dying\">starving pelicans\u003c/a>, scientists hypothesized that the birds could not see their prey in choppy, murky water after late-season storms. Another possibility is that anchovies and other fish swam farther below the warm sea surface, too deep for the pelicans to reach.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For last year’s event, the state recorded roughly 1,000 pelicans captured for rehabilitation — and in 2022, for similar reasons, 800.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This year, there are only 250 ailing pelicans tallied so far, but fresh challenges. The seabirds arrived in two waves, sick and then starving.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996960\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2500px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996960\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SICKPELICANS_GC-DIPTYCH-1-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2500\" height=\"841\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SICKPELICANS_GC-DIPTYCH-1-KQED.jpg 2500w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SICKPELICANS_GC-DIPTYCH-1-KQED-800x269.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SICKPELICANS_GC-DIPTYCH-1-KQED-1020x343.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SICKPELICANS_GC-DIPTYCH-1-KQED-160x54.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SICKPELICANS_GC-DIPTYCH-1-KQED-768x258.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SICKPELICANS_GC-DIPTYCH-1-KQED-1536x517.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SICKPELICANS_GC-DIPTYCH-1-KQED-2048x689.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SICKPELICANS_GC-DIPTYCH-1-KQED-1920x646.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2500px) 100vw, 2500px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Finn Watson (left), Wildlife Rehabilitation Technician, and Kelly Buffa, Registered Veterinary Technician, examine a California Brown Pelican at International Bird Rescue in Fairfield on May 19, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>At first, rescue centers received adults poisoned by a \u003ca href=\"https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/feature-story/early-bloom-toxic-algae-southern-california-sickens-hundreds-sea-lions-and-dolphins\">toxic algae bloom\u003c/a> in Southern California. The blooms, predicted to become \u003ca href=\"https://www.epa.gov/habs/climate-change-and-freshwater-harmful-algal-blooms#:~:text=Scientists%20continue%20to%20document%20many,more%20often%20in%20more%20waterbodies.\">more severe with climate change\u003c/a>, have lasted \u003ca href=\"https://insideclimatenews.org/news/02052025/california-toxic-algae-marine-life-poisoning/#:~:text=This%20is%20the%20fourth%20year,for%20longer%2C%E2%80%9D%20Lefebvre%20said.\">longer\u003c/a> this year — and produced not one but two types of neurotoxins: domoic acid and saxitoxin.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And then came the starving babies. The majority of the roughly 250 pelicans International Bird Rescue received since March were less than 6 months old. The center gets about two-thirds of the birds statewide and considers 90 birds a month highly unusual. The state’s seabird scientists are still looking for answers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gibble said the breeding season was early and especially successful this year. It’s natural to see the fledglings struggle more to forage than adults, so that might just be amplified right now. In 2012, there was a similar large starvation event for young birds after a booming breeding season.[aside postID=news_11988320 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/05/240530-BrownPelicans-10-BL-1020x680.jpg']Rebecca Duerr, director of research and veterinary science for International Bird Rescue, said that’s a possibility. An additional theory about these starving young, she said, is that their parents, sickened by the harmful algal blooms, might have abandoned them before they were ready to forage alone.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“These young birds didn’t know how to eat yet,” Duerr said. “It’s circumstantial evidence, but it looked like, you know, if mom doesn’t come back, they have to leave the nest or they’ll die.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This California subspecies of brown pelicans breeds from the Channel Islands south into Mexico. Both the male and female pelicans should feed their chicks until they learn to fly, what’s called fledging, at around 3 months old. V-formations of pelicans then typically migrate north together during the warmer months.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gibble, who handles the state’s dead seabirds, will wait to hazard more guesses about what went wrong this year until she has additional test results later this month. She wants to see if the algal blooms also affected the starving young pelicans that died, even though they hadn’t shown symptoms while alive.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996959\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1996959 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SICKPELICANS_GC-28-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SICKPELICANS_GC-28-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SICKPELICANS_GC-28-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SICKPELICANS_GC-28-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SICKPELICANS_GC-28-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SICKPELICANS_GC-28-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SICKPELICANS_GC-28-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SICKPELICANS_GC-28-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sierra Koop, wildlife rehabilitation technician, fills a tray of herring with water to feed rescued California Brown Pelicans at International Bird Rescue in Fairfield on May 19, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Luckily, the numbers indicate the starvation event is slowing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For Ciera Duits-Cavanaugh, the manager of the SPCA Monterey County’s Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Center, the influx of young pelicans this year is a mystery. “This may be just an annual thing that happens now,” she said. “Three of the past four years have broken our averages, so something is different.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Times have been tough for brown pelicans before. The birds \u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/places/000/california-brown-pelican.htm#:~:text=In%20the%201960s%20and%201970s,the%20sea%20as%20the%20cause.\">almost went extinct\u003c/a> in the 1960s, thanks to the now-banned pesticide DDT, and were listed as endangered until 2009.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Warming seas present a newer kind of threat. Back in 2014, some seabird populations \u003ca href=\"https://www.sciencenews.org/article/blob-marine-heat-wave-killed-seabirds\">plummeted\u003c/a> due to fish die-offs during the marine heat wave scientists called “the blob.” Some\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1992933/california-has-a-theory-on-why-brown-pelicans-are-starving-and-dying\"> researchers\u003c/a> think pelicans in particular might find fewer fish with warmer sea surface temperatures, such as during El Niño cycles, which are expected to \u003ca href=\"https://www.climate.gov/news-features/blogs/enso/has-climate-change-already-affected-enso\">intensify\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996956\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1996956 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SICKPELICANS_GC-7-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SICKPELICANS_GC-7-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SICKPELICANS_GC-7-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SICKPELICANS_GC-7-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SICKPELICANS_GC-7-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SICKPELICANS_GC-7-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SICKPELICANS_GC-7-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SICKPELICANS_GC-7-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Rescued California Brown Pelicans at an outdoor pen at International Bird Rescue in Fairfield on May 19, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“We’re really on the frontline of climate change here,” said JD Bergeron, the CEO of International Bird Rescue. “You can read a research paper and get it intellectually. But the feeling of seeing all these birds struggling when they were previously doing just fine is a scary thing.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, Bergeron’s staff and volunteers at International Bird Rescue’s two facilities in Fairfield and Los Angeles are working around the clock to bring the rescued pelicans back to life.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The pelicans that the International Bird Rescue releases live on average for six years in the wild. The younger birds have a slightly lower chance of survival.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996951\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1996951 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SickPelicans_GC-33_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SickPelicans_GC-33_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SickPelicans_GC-33_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SickPelicans_GC-33_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SickPelicans_GC-33_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SickPelicans_GC-33_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SickPelicans_GC-33_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SickPelicans_GC-33_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A rescued California Brown Pelican lands on a pole of an outdoor pen at International Bird Rescue in Fairfield on May 19, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The one bird that stranded in Mendocino County on Albion Flat Beach had flown the greatest distance of any other pelican at the Fairfield rescue center. The small bird is likely a female, though still too young — at around 3 months — for the vets to tell.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since arriving earlier this month, the pelican has graduated from an inside enclosure, where the birds that need routine medicine and other care reside, to an outside space.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On Monday, the other pelicans stretched their wings, swooping between high perches. The fledgling rested by the swimming pool, sometimes watching and other times tucking its face under its wing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "Rescuers have taken in an above-average number of emaciated young brown pelicans this spring — the third starvation event in four years for the iconic California seabird.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1748005459,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 24,
"wordCount": 1091
},
"headData": {
"title": "California’s Pelicans Are Once Again Starving. This Year, It’s the Babies | KQED",
"description": "Rescuers have taken in an above-average number of emaciated young brown pelicans this spring — the third starvation event in four years for the iconic California seabird.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "California’s Pelicans Are Once Again Starving. This Year, It’s the Babies",
"datePublished": "2025-05-23T06:00:21-07:00",
"dateModified": "2025-05-23T06:04:19-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"sticky": false,
"nprByline": "Anna FitzGerald Guth",
"nprStoryId": "kqed-1996948",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"showOnAuthorArchivePages": "No",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/science/1996948/californias-pelicans-are-once-again-starving-this-year-its-the-babies",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>A baby \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1992933/california-has-a-theory-on-why-brown-pelicans-are-starving-and-dying\">pelican\u003c/a> traveled at least 500 miles up California’s coast before landing near Mendocino alone on May 10 — exhausted and starving.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now, the fledgling is in the care of International Bird Rescue, which took in an above-average number of emaciated young brown pelicans so far this spring. It’s the third \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1992933/california-has-a-theory-on-why-brown-pelicans-are-starving-and-dying\">starvation event\u003c/a> in four years for the iconic California seabirds. Experts can’t fully explain why, though they said climate change is at play.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Everything’s getting weirder,” said Corinne Gibble, a marine bird specialist for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. “We’re having \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1993633/algal-blooms-love-heat-waves-when-is-bay-area-swimming-dangerous-for-humans-and-pets\">harmful algal blooms\u003c/a> and more unexpected weather events. What we can do is get more birds into rehab and better the science around helping them.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To explain last year’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1992933/california-has-a-theory-on-why-brown-pelicans-are-starving-and-dying\">starving pelicans\u003c/a>, scientists hypothesized that the birds could not see their prey in choppy, murky water after late-season storms. Another possibility is that anchovies and other fish swam farther below the warm sea surface, too deep for the pelicans to reach.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For last year’s event, the state recorded roughly 1,000 pelicans captured for rehabilitation — and in 2022, for similar reasons, 800.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This year, there are only 250 ailing pelicans tallied so far, but fresh challenges. The seabirds arrived in two waves, sick and then starving.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996960\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2500px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996960\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SICKPELICANS_GC-DIPTYCH-1-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2500\" height=\"841\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SICKPELICANS_GC-DIPTYCH-1-KQED.jpg 2500w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SICKPELICANS_GC-DIPTYCH-1-KQED-800x269.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SICKPELICANS_GC-DIPTYCH-1-KQED-1020x343.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SICKPELICANS_GC-DIPTYCH-1-KQED-160x54.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SICKPELICANS_GC-DIPTYCH-1-KQED-768x258.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SICKPELICANS_GC-DIPTYCH-1-KQED-1536x517.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SICKPELICANS_GC-DIPTYCH-1-KQED-2048x689.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SICKPELICANS_GC-DIPTYCH-1-KQED-1920x646.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2500px) 100vw, 2500px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Finn Watson (left), Wildlife Rehabilitation Technician, and Kelly Buffa, Registered Veterinary Technician, examine a California Brown Pelican at International Bird Rescue in Fairfield on May 19, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>At first, rescue centers received adults poisoned by a \u003ca href=\"https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/feature-story/early-bloom-toxic-algae-southern-california-sickens-hundreds-sea-lions-and-dolphins\">toxic algae bloom\u003c/a> in Southern California. The blooms, predicted to become \u003ca href=\"https://www.epa.gov/habs/climate-change-and-freshwater-harmful-algal-blooms#:~:text=Scientists%20continue%20to%20document%20many,more%20often%20in%20more%20waterbodies.\">more severe with climate change\u003c/a>, have lasted \u003ca href=\"https://insideclimatenews.org/news/02052025/california-toxic-algae-marine-life-poisoning/#:~:text=This%20is%20the%20fourth%20year,for%20longer%2C%E2%80%9D%20Lefebvre%20said.\">longer\u003c/a> this year — and produced not one but two types of neurotoxins: domoic acid and saxitoxin.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And then came the starving babies. The majority of the roughly 250 pelicans International Bird Rescue received since March were less than 6 months old. The center gets about two-thirds of the birds statewide and considers 90 birds a month highly unusual. The state’s seabird scientists are still looking for answers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gibble said the breeding season was early and especially successful this year. It’s natural to see the fledglings struggle more to forage than adults, so that might just be amplified right now. In 2012, there was a similar large starvation event for young birds after a booming breeding season.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "news_11988320",
"hero": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/05/240530-BrownPelicans-10-BL-1020x680.jpg",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Rebecca Duerr, director of research and veterinary science for International Bird Rescue, said that’s a possibility. An additional theory about these starving young, she said, is that their parents, sickened by the harmful algal blooms, might have abandoned them before they were ready to forage alone.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“These young birds didn’t know how to eat yet,” Duerr said. “It’s circumstantial evidence, but it looked like, you know, if mom doesn’t come back, they have to leave the nest or they’ll die.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This California subspecies of brown pelicans breeds from the Channel Islands south into Mexico. Both the male and female pelicans should feed their chicks until they learn to fly, what’s called fledging, at around 3 months old. V-formations of pelicans then typically migrate north together during the warmer months.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gibble, who handles the state’s dead seabirds, will wait to hazard more guesses about what went wrong this year until she has additional test results later this month. She wants to see if the algal blooms also affected the starving young pelicans that died, even though they hadn’t shown symptoms while alive.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996959\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1996959 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SICKPELICANS_GC-28-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SICKPELICANS_GC-28-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SICKPELICANS_GC-28-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SICKPELICANS_GC-28-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SICKPELICANS_GC-28-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SICKPELICANS_GC-28-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SICKPELICANS_GC-28-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SICKPELICANS_GC-28-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sierra Koop, wildlife rehabilitation technician, fills a tray of herring with water to feed rescued California Brown Pelicans at International Bird Rescue in Fairfield on May 19, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Luckily, the numbers indicate the starvation event is slowing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For Ciera Duits-Cavanaugh, the manager of the SPCA Monterey County’s Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Center, the influx of young pelicans this year is a mystery. “This may be just an annual thing that happens now,” she said. “Three of the past four years have broken our averages, so something is different.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Times have been tough for brown pelicans before. The birds \u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/places/000/california-brown-pelican.htm#:~:text=In%20the%201960s%20and%201970s,the%20sea%20as%20the%20cause.\">almost went extinct\u003c/a> in the 1960s, thanks to the now-banned pesticide DDT, and were listed as endangered until 2009.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Warming seas present a newer kind of threat. Back in 2014, some seabird populations \u003ca href=\"https://www.sciencenews.org/article/blob-marine-heat-wave-killed-seabirds\">plummeted\u003c/a> due to fish die-offs during the marine heat wave scientists called “the blob.” Some\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1992933/california-has-a-theory-on-why-brown-pelicans-are-starving-and-dying\"> researchers\u003c/a> think pelicans in particular might find fewer fish with warmer sea surface temperatures, such as during El Niño cycles, which are expected to \u003ca href=\"https://www.climate.gov/news-features/blogs/enso/has-climate-change-already-affected-enso\">intensify\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996956\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1996956 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SICKPELICANS_GC-7-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SICKPELICANS_GC-7-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SICKPELICANS_GC-7-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SICKPELICANS_GC-7-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SICKPELICANS_GC-7-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SICKPELICANS_GC-7-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SICKPELICANS_GC-7-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SICKPELICANS_GC-7-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Rescued California Brown Pelicans at an outdoor pen at International Bird Rescue in Fairfield on May 19, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“We’re really on the frontline of climate change here,” said JD Bergeron, the CEO of International Bird Rescue. “You can read a research paper and get it intellectually. But the feeling of seeing all these birds struggling when they were previously doing just fine is a scary thing.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, Bergeron’s staff and volunteers at International Bird Rescue’s two facilities in Fairfield and Los Angeles are working around the clock to bring the rescued pelicans back to life.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The pelicans that the International Bird Rescue releases live on average for six years in the wild. The younger birds have a slightly lower chance of survival.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996951\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1996951 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SickPelicans_GC-33_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SickPelicans_GC-33_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SickPelicans_GC-33_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SickPelicans_GC-33_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SickPelicans_GC-33_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SickPelicans_GC-33_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SickPelicans_GC-33_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/20250519_SickPelicans_GC-33_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A rescued California Brown Pelican lands on a pole of an outdoor pen at International Bird Rescue in Fairfield on May 19, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The one bird that stranded in Mendocino County on Albion Flat Beach had flown the greatest distance of any other pelican at the Fairfield rescue center. The small bird is likely a female, though still too young — at around 3 months — for the vets to tell.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since arriving earlier this month, the pelican has graduated from an inside enclosure, where the birds that need routine medicine and other care reside, to an outside space.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On Monday, the other pelicans stretched their wings, swooping between high perches. The fledgling rested by the swimming pool, sometimes watching and other times tucking its face under its wing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/science/1996948/californias-pelicans-are-once-again-starving-this-year-its-the-babies",
"authors": [
"byline_science_1996948"
],
"categories": [
"science_2874",
"science_31",
"science_4450"
],
"tags": [
"science_1120",
"science_856",
"science_5178",
"science_182",
"science_194",
"science_4417",
"science_4414",
"science_5319",
"science_633",
"science_309"
],
"featImg": "science_1996961",
"label": "science"
},
"science_1996968": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "science_1996968",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1996968",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1747951852000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "senate-votes-block-californias-electric-vehicle-mandate",
"title": "California to Sue Feds After Senate Blocks Its Clean Vehicle Rules",
"publishDate": 1747951852,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "California to Sue Feds After Senate Blocks Its Clean Vehicle Rules | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Updated 3:15 p.m. Thursday\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Gov. Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta said they will sue the federal government after Congress moved to revoke its electric vehicle mandate and two other clean air act rules Thursday. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The move, led by Senate Republicans, attempted to block California from regulating the pollution that comes from cars, trucks and buses, and roll back the state’s long-standing authority to set higher air quality standards than the nation. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“Our lawsuit will be about ensuring California can enforce its state laws,” said Bonta at a press event, adding that through the years, the allowances granted by the Environmental Protection Agency, called waivers, have lowered harmful emissions and improved public health. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[ad fullwidth]\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“That’s better for our people, it’s better for our planet. This attack on these waivers will put more Californians’ lives at risk, undermine the clean vehicle industry, and stifle innovation and job creation, including in the electric vehicle sector,” he said. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">California’s rules would \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12039494/senate-weighs-repeal-of-california-clean-air-rules-raising-stakes-for-ev-market-and-public-health\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">ban the sale of new gas cars in the state\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> starting in 2035, reduce pollution from heavy duty trucks and buses and require truck makers to start selling more electric vehicles. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Newsom said the decision to overturn the state’s waivers will benefit other countries who are pursuing a clean energy economy. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“China is celebrating. This was a day that marks a moment of acceleration and their capacity to dominate in the next big global industry,” he said, referring to the electric vehicle market. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“We have real-world evidence that these rules are improving public health,” said Dr. John Balmes, a longtime member of the California Air Resources Board. Balmes pointed to studies showing reductions in \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://today.usc.edu/electric-vehicles-already-improving-health-and-air-quality-study-shows/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">asthma-related emergency room visits\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> in zip codes with higher infiltration of electric vehicles, and \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/electric-vehicles-improve-air-quality-less-impact-polluted-areas\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">reductions in pollutants\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> as use of zero-emission vehicles rose. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“These studies and others show that our clean car and truck rules bring necessary co-benefits, reduced asthma attacks in children and younger adults, and reduced deaths in older adults, as well as reduced greenhouse gas emissions,” Balmes said.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The majority of \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/ghg-inventory-graphs\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">California’s\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> planet-warming emissions come from transportation, and the same is true \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/sources-greenhouse-gas-emissions\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">nationwide\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID=news_12040286 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/20250203_MartinezRefineryFolo_GC-26_qed-1020x680.jpg']\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">California has regulated its own vehicle pollution since the 1960s, before the Clean Air Act was signed into law in 1970. Due to the state’s historically horrendous air pollution, the federal government granted California the authority to set its own emissions standards, as long as they were stricter than federal rules. Those rules would then require approval from the EPA through waivers for final approval.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Republicans sidestepped the filibuster by using a little-known tool called the Congressional Review Act to revoke the waivers. Both the Senate parliamentarian, essentially the chamber’s referee, and the Government Accountability Office, an independent agency overseeing the government, said using this procedure to rule on California’s rules was not allowed. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Democrats like California’s Sen. Adam Schiff objected, calling the move a “nuclear option,” and saying that going down this road was a slippery slope.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“Because what we have at stake is also a state’s ability, it’s right to make its own laws,” Schiff said. “And to protect its own citizens without having this body overturn that right.” \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Environmentalists and scientists were defiant upon hearing the news, which some said did not come as a surprise. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“While this is a big setback, we’re not out for the count,” said Adrian Martinez, an attorney with EarthJustice. “We still have many options to clean up this pollution and we need to pursue them immediately at the state and local level.” \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Martinez said the state could use its authority under the California Air Resources Board to write new rules for cars and trucks. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Brian Maas of the California New Car Dealers Association, which represents franchise dealerships of new cars and trucks across the state, welcomed the opportunity to “recalibrate the state’s approach.” \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“California needs a durable, market-aligned electric vehicle policy that reflects consumer demand, infrastructure availability, and affordability,” he said.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "Gov. Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta said they would sue after Republicans in the U.S. Senate voted to revoke California’s authority to regulate pollution from cars, trucks and buses.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1747956544,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 20,
"wordCount": 747
},
"headData": {
"title": "California to Sue Feds After Senate Blocks Its Clean Vehicle Rules | KQED",
"description": "Gov. Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta said they would sue after Republicans in the U.S. Senate voted to revoke California’s authority to regulate pollution from cars, trucks and buses.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "California to Sue Feds After Senate Blocks Its Clean Vehicle Rules",
"datePublished": "2025-05-22T15:10:52-07:00",
"dateModified": "2025-05-22T16:29:04-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"source": "News",
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-1996968",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/science/1996968/senate-votes-block-californias-electric-vehicle-mandate",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Updated 3:15 p.m. Thursday\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Gov. Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta said they will sue the federal government after Congress moved to revoke its electric vehicle mandate and two other clean air act rules Thursday. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The move, led by Senate Republicans, attempted to block California from regulating the pollution that comes from cars, trucks and buses, and roll back the state’s long-standing authority to set higher air quality standards than the nation. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“Our lawsuit will be about ensuring California can enforce its state laws,” said Bonta at a press event, adding that through the years, the allowances granted by the Environmental Protection Agency, called waivers, have lowered harmful emissions and improved public health. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“That’s better for our people, it’s better for our planet. This attack on these waivers will put more Californians’ lives at risk, undermine the clean vehicle industry, and stifle innovation and job creation, including in the electric vehicle sector,” he said. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">California’s rules would \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12039494/senate-weighs-repeal-of-california-clean-air-rules-raising-stakes-for-ev-market-and-public-health\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">ban the sale of new gas cars in the state\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> starting in 2035, reduce pollution from heavy duty trucks and buses and require truck makers to start selling more electric vehicles. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Newsom said the decision to overturn the state’s waivers will benefit other countries who are pursuing a clean energy economy. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“China is celebrating. This was a day that marks a moment of acceleration and their capacity to dominate in the next big global industry,” he said, referring to the electric vehicle market. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“We have real-world evidence that these rules are improving public health,” said Dr. John Balmes, a longtime member of the California Air Resources Board. Balmes pointed to studies showing reductions in \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://today.usc.edu/electric-vehicles-already-improving-health-and-air-quality-study-shows/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">asthma-related emergency room visits\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> in zip codes with higher infiltration of electric vehicles, and \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/electric-vehicles-improve-air-quality-less-impact-polluted-areas\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">reductions in pollutants\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> as use of zero-emission vehicles rose. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“These studies and others show that our clean car and truck rules bring necessary co-benefits, reduced asthma attacks in children and younger adults, and reduced deaths in older adults, as well as reduced greenhouse gas emissions,” Balmes said.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The majority of \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/ghg-inventory-graphs\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">California’s\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> planet-warming emissions come from transportation, and the same is true \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/sources-greenhouse-gas-emissions\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">nationwide\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "news_12040286",
"hero": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/20250203_MartinezRefineryFolo_GC-26_qed-1020x680.jpg",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">California has regulated its own vehicle pollution since the 1960s, before the Clean Air Act was signed into law in 1970. Due to the state’s historically horrendous air pollution, the federal government granted California the authority to set its own emissions standards, as long as they were stricter than federal rules. Those rules would then require approval from the EPA through waivers for final approval.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Republicans sidestepped the filibuster by using a little-known tool called the Congressional Review Act to revoke the waivers. Both the Senate parliamentarian, essentially the chamber’s referee, and the Government Accountability Office, an independent agency overseeing the government, said using this procedure to rule on California’s rules was not allowed. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Democrats like California’s Sen. Adam Schiff objected, calling the move a “nuclear option,” and saying that going down this road was a slippery slope.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“Because what we have at stake is also a state’s ability, it’s right to make its own laws,” Schiff said. “And to protect its own citizens without having this body overturn that right.” \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Environmentalists and scientists were defiant upon hearing the news, which some said did not come as a surprise. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“While this is a big setback, we’re not out for the count,” said Adrian Martinez, an attorney with EarthJustice. “We still have many options to clean up this pollution and we need to pursue them immediately at the state and local level.” \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Martinez said the state could use its authority under the California Air Resources Board to write new rules for cars and trucks. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Brian Maas of the California New Car Dealers Association, which represents franchise dealerships of new cars and trucks across the state, welcomed the opportunity to “recalibrate the state’s approach.” \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“California needs a durable, market-aligned electric vehicle policy that reflects consumer demand, infrastructure availability, and affordability,” he said.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/science/1996968/senate-votes-block-californias-electric-vehicle-mandate",
"authors": [
"8648"
],
"categories": [
"science_31",
"science_35",
"science_40"
],
"tags": [
"science_505",
"science_856",
"science_5178",
"science_1627",
"science_704",
"science_2889",
"science_194",
"science_845",
"science_192",
"science_4414",
"science_5181",
"science_554",
"science_4277"
],
"featImg": "science_1997000",
"label": "source_science_1996968"
},
"science_1996980": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "science_1996980",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1996980",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1747945596000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "californias-snowpack-shrinks-igniting-concerns-of-early-wildfires",
"title": "California's Snowpack Shrinks, Igniting Concerns of Early Wildfires",
"publishDate": 1747945596,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "California’s Snowpack Shrinks, Igniting Concerns of Early Wildfires | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>California’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12033983/late-storms-boost-californias-snowpack-hitting-a-3-year-streak-not-seen-in-decades\">snowpack is dwindling\u003c/a>, and climate scientists believe another record-breaking hot summer could be in the cards, ramping up the possibility of an early fire season.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The state’s snowpack is at \u003ca href=\"https://cww.water.ca.gov/\">14% of average\u003c/a> peak snowpack, down from 96% on April 1 — the date snow scientists consider the height of the snowpack, according to the state. The snowpack is melting a little faster than usual, but state scientists said the rate of snowmelt isn’t entirely abnormal. However, climate scientists believe early snowmelt this year could be partly due to human-caused climate change.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Andy Reising, manager of the California Department of Water Resources’ snow surveys and water supply forecasting unit, said it’s important to understand that snow is not melting uniformly across all watersheds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With three years of around average snowfall, Reising isn’t worried about water supplies with state reservoirs at \u003ca href=\"https://cww.water.ca.gov/\">116% of normal\u003c/a> for this time of year. River forecasts in the north end of the Sierra Nevada are about 100% of normal, although that story changes further south along the range and into the mountains of Southern California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But what he’s concerned about is that the faster rates of snowmelt — especially in the south — could exacerbate wildfire danger in this region.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The south had a really lousy year, and the mountains are super dry,” Reising said. “That’s why we had the fires back in January. The southern part of the state, where we don’t have snow, is a really, really high-risk area.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996985\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2005px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1996985 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/SnowpackMay2025.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2005\" height=\"1159\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/SnowpackMay2025.jpg 2005w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/SnowpackMay2025-800x462.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/SnowpackMay2025-1020x590.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/SnowpackMay2025-160x92.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/SnowpackMay2025-768x444.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/SnowpackMay2025-1536x888.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/SnowpackMay2025-1920x1110.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2005px) 100vw, 2005px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">California’s snowpack has plummeted to just 14% of its average peak, down from 96% on April 1. Scientists say the faster-than-usual melt may be linked to human-caused climate change — raising concerns of an early fire season amid predictions of another record-hot summer. \u003ccite>(NASA satellite image)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Roger Bales, a hydrology and water resources engineering professor at UC Merced and UC Berkeley, said snow melting between April and June is normal. Still, when looking at the snow cover from an aerial view, he said it’s clear that the snowpack is getting thinner. He sees faster rates melt across all parts of the Sierra Nevada, but they are more pronounced in the south.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When looking at state historical data, Bales said the snowpack across the Sierra Nevada this year is visually and strikingly low compared to the 30-year average.[aside postID=news_12040286 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/20250203_MartinezRefineryFolo_GC-26_qed-1020x680.jpg']“You can see the difference in the data,” Bales said. “As you warm the climate by each degree Fahrenheit, the snowline goes up about 250 feet in average long-term warming. But that doesn’t mean we won’t have snow at high elevations.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the long run, despite year-to-year variability, Bales said he sees California struggling to maintain a healthy snowpack as the snowline moves higher and the snowpack eventually gets smaller.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That means droughts and wildfire risk could increase over time as the world continues to burn fossil fuels, causing human-caused climate change.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Faster melt rates are caused by a warmer climate,” Bales said. “It’s not good for wildfire risk, and soils are going to dry out faster about a month after the snow melts.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, over the next few months, the more harmful issue isn’t just about faster snowmelt. UC Merced climatology professor John Abatzoglou worries that a hotter-than-normal summer will follow the speedier snowmelt rate. Last summer was the world’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1994538/3-bay-area-cities-had-hottest-summer-in-history-as-climate-change-pushes-temps-up\">hottest on record\u003c/a>. The same goes for California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The combination of a little earlier-than-normal melt out of our snowpack, along with what is likely going to be another warm summer, is sort of shifting the odds for elevated fire potential across the state,” Abatzoglou said. “Over the past 50 years, summer has taken the medal in terms of the fastest warming season.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "California’s snowpack is melting a little faster than usual, and climate scientists believe another record-breaking hot summer could be in the cards, ramping up the possibility of an early fire season.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1747946769,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 15,
"wordCount": 690
},
"headData": {
"title": "California's Snowpack Shrinks, Igniting Concerns of Early Wildfires | KQED",
"description": "California’s snowpack is melting a little faster than usual, and climate scientists believe another record-breaking hot summer could be in the cards, ramping up the possibility of an early fire season.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "California's Snowpack Shrinks, Igniting Concerns of Early Wildfires",
"datePublished": "2025-05-22T13:26:36-07:00",
"dateModified": "2025-05-22T13:46:09-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"source": "News",
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-1996980",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/science/1996980/californias-snowpack-shrinks-igniting-concerns-of-early-wildfires",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>California’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12033983/late-storms-boost-californias-snowpack-hitting-a-3-year-streak-not-seen-in-decades\">snowpack is dwindling\u003c/a>, and climate scientists believe another record-breaking hot summer could be in the cards, ramping up the possibility of an early fire season.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The state’s snowpack is at \u003ca href=\"https://cww.water.ca.gov/\">14% of average\u003c/a> peak snowpack, down from 96% on April 1 — the date snow scientists consider the height of the snowpack, according to the state. The snowpack is melting a little faster than usual, but state scientists said the rate of snowmelt isn’t entirely abnormal. However, climate scientists believe early snowmelt this year could be partly due to human-caused climate change.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Andy Reising, manager of the California Department of Water Resources’ snow surveys and water supply forecasting unit, said it’s important to understand that snow is not melting uniformly across all watersheds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With three years of around average snowfall, Reising isn’t worried about water supplies with state reservoirs at \u003ca href=\"https://cww.water.ca.gov/\">116% of normal\u003c/a> for this time of year. River forecasts in the north end of the Sierra Nevada are about 100% of normal, although that story changes further south along the range and into the mountains of Southern California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But what he’s concerned about is that the faster rates of snowmelt — especially in the south — could exacerbate wildfire danger in this region.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The south had a really lousy year, and the mountains are super dry,” Reising said. “That’s why we had the fires back in January. The southern part of the state, where we don’t have snow, is a really, really high-risk area.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996985\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2005px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1996985 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/SnowpackMay2025.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2005\" height=\"1159\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/SnowpackMay2025.jpg 2005w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/SnowpackMay2025-800x462.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/SnowpackMay2025-1020x590.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/SnowpackMay2025-160x92.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/SnowpackMay2025-768x444.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/SnowpackMay2025-1536x888.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/SnowpackMay2025-1920x1110.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2005px) 100vw, 2005px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">California’s snowpack has plummeted to just 14% of its average peak, down from 96% on April 1. Scientists say the faster-than-usual melt may be linked to human-caused climate change — raising concerns of an early fire season amid predictions of another record-hot summer. \u003ccite>(NASA satellite image)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Roger Bales, a hydrology and water resources engineering professor at UC Merced and UC Berkeley, said snow melting between April and June is normal. Still, when looking at the snow cover from an aerial view, he said it’s clear that the snowpack is getting thinner. He sees faster rates melt across all parts of the Sierra Nevada, but they are more pronounced in the south.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When looking at state historical data, Bales said the snowpack across the Sierra Nevada this year is visually and strikingly low compared to the 30-year average.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "news_12040286",
"hero": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/20250203_MartinezRefineryFolo_GC-26_qed-1020x680.jpg",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“You can see the difference in the data,” Bales said. “As you warm the climate by each degree Fahrenheit, the snowline goes up about 250 feet in average long-term warming. But that doesn’t mean we won’t have snow at high elevations.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the long run, despite year-to-year variability, Bales said he sees California struggling to maintain a healthy snowpack as the snowline moves higher and the snowpack eventually gets smaller.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That means droughts and wildfire risk could increase over time as the world continues to burn fossil fuels, causing human-caused climate change.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Faster melt rates are caused by a warmer climate,” Bales said. “It’s not good for wildfire risk, and soils are going to dry out faster about a month after the snow melts.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, over the next few months, the more harmful issue isn’t just about faster snowmelt. UC Merced climatology professor John Abatzoglou worries that a hotter-than-normal summer will follow the speedier snowmelt rate. Last summer was the world’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1994538/3-bay-area-cities-had-hottest-summer-in-history-as-climate-change-pushes-temps-up\">hottest on record\u003c/a>. The same goes for California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The combination of a little earlier-than-normal melt out of our snowpack, along with what is likely going to be another warm summer, is sort of shifting the odds for elevated fire potential across the state,” Abatzoglou said. “Over the past 50 years, summer has taken the medal in terms of the fastest warming season.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/science/1996980/californias-snowpack-shrinks-igniting-concerns-of-early-wildfires",
"authors": [
"11746"
],
"categories": [
"science_31",
"science_40",
"science_3730"
],
"tags": [
"science_5178",
"science_182",
"science_194",
"science_4414",
"science_1462",
"science_107",
"science_1243",
"science_1127",
"science_5347"
],
"featImg": "science_1996987",
"label": "source_science_1996980"
},
"science_1996916": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "science_1996916",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1996916",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1747772002000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "california-delta-leaders-blast-newsoms-push-to-fast-track-20-billion-water-tunnel",
"title": "California Delta Leaders Blast Newsom’s Push to Fast-Track $20 Billion Water Tunnel",
"publishDate": 1747772002,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "California Delta Leaders Blast Newsom’s Push to Fast-Track $20 Billion Water Tunnel | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>\u003cem>Updated at 2:58 pm \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Less than a week after Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1996769/newsom-pushes-fast-track-20-billion-delta-tunnel-california-water\">fast-tracking a controversial tunnel project\u003c/a> to send more Northern California water south, a group of lawmakers, tribal leaders and environmentalists is calling on the Legislature to reject the idea, calling it “a broken process that silences local voices.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Members of the Legislature’s Delta Caucus on Tuesday said that the project will cost more than $20 billion and that Californians will ultimately foot a mounting bill because of inflation and tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump. They also accused Newsom of favoring agricultural interests and Southern California over the needs of Northern California communities, and said the project will harm fish species, the environment and local economies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This project will devastate the delta’s ecosystem and place an enormous financial burden on ratepayers at a time when Californians are already struggling with the cost of living,” said Assemblymember Lori Wilson, D-Suisun City, who represents communities throughout the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In an email Tuesday afternoon, the Newsom administration disputed the caucus members’ comments, saying they demonstrate “why this fast track is necessary, as it is clear that misinformation will continue to delay and obfuscate this critical project.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Officials said that not all taxpayers will pay for the project, which they noted will serve more than 27 million people and 750,000 acres of farmland. Public water agencies in the Bay Area, San Joaquin Valley and Southern California that receive water from the State Water Project and have signed onto the project will fund it, they said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996925\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996925\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/GavinNewsom2025AP2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/GavinNewsom2025AP2.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/GavinNewsom2025AP2-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/GavinNewsom2025AP2-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/GavinNewsom2025AP2-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/GavinNewsom2025AP2-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/GavinNewsom2025AP2-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/GavinNewsom2025AP2-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Gov. Gavin Newsom stands in front of a state flag during a press conference about President Donald Trump’s tariffs on April 16, 2025, at an almond farm in Ceres, California. \u003ccite>(Noah Berger/AP Photo)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The Delta Conveyance Project has been through many iterations and decades of debate by California lawmakers, going from a proposed canal to two tunnels and now a single tunnel.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As part of his \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12040025/newsom-blames-trump-california-budget-deficit-aims-cap-undocumented-health-care\">revised budget proposal\u003c/a> last week, Newsom laid out in an announcement and \u003ca href=\"https://trailerbill.dof.ca.gov/public/trailerBill/pdf/1263\">trailer bill\u003c/a> how he wants the Legislature to accelerate the 45-mile-long tunnel through the delta by taking action to simplify permitting and land acquisition, confirm that the Department of Water Resources has the authority to issue bonds to cover the project’s cost, prevent unnecessary litigation delays and support construction.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Newsom argues that the tunnel is imperative for adapting the state to a hotter and drier climate that could result in 10% less water by the 2040s.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re done with barriers — our state needs to complete this project as soon as possible, so that we can better store and manage water to prepare for a hotter, drier future,” he said in a release.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Delta Caucus agreed with Newsom that California’s current water system is outdated and unprepared to handle the storms or dry periods of the future. However, its members said that other solutions, including water recycling and fortifying delta levees, are better options to cure the state’s ongoing water woes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID=science_1996769 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/DeltaGetty-1020x574.jpg']\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Robbing water from the north and drying out the north just to water the south doesn’t make it better at all,” said Assemblymember Stephanie Nguyen, D–Elk Grove. “We need to have a balanced approach and go back and invest in water recycling and storage.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the administration called the caucus’ calls for other solutions “simplistic” and said they “ignore the practical realities and complexities of serving 27 million Californians.” The state needs an all-hands-on-deck approach that includes “modernizing the State Water Project while also advancing local solutions like recycling and desalination,” officials wrote.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Malissa Tayaba, vice chairperson of the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians, whose ancestral lands include the delta, said her tribe would be “irreparably harmed” by the project.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We will not only lose access to our homelands that we have cared for and stewarded for time immemorial, but we will also lose our delta estuary, already in crisis,” she said. “More importantly, the Delta Conveyance Project would destroy and desecrate the resting place of our ancestors.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ashley Overhouse, water policy adviser for Defenders of Wildlife, said that the tunnel would undermine Southern California’s efforts to promote water resilience on its own and that Newsom needs “to end his obsession with the tunnel\u003cem>.”\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Instead, she said Newsom should “start working more closely with Southern California communities” instead of “trying to force the tunnel down our throats” and work with delta communities on “a collaborative approach” that “everyone can get behind. It’s not too late.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, the Southern California Water Coalition commended Newsom’s proposal, calling it a “bold initiative” that would enhance “water resiliency and reliability for Southern California.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This initiative is vital for the 85% of Southern Californians who recognize the need for a secure water future,” said Charley Wilson, the group’s executive director.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "Less than a week after Gov. Gavin Newsom called on the Legislature to accelerate a contentious delta tunnel project, a group of lawmakers is calling on their peers to reject the idea.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1747778298,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 22,
"wordCount": 892
},
"headData": {
"title": "California Delta Leaders Blast Newsom’s Push to Fast-Track $20 Billion Water Tunnel | KQED",
"description": "Less than a week after Gov. Gavin Newsom called on the Legislature to accelerate a contentious delta tunnel project, a group of lawmakers is calling on their peers to reject the idea.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "California Delta Leaders Blast Newsom’s Push to Fast-Track $20 Billion Water Tunnel",
"datePublished": "2025-05-20T13:13:22-07:00",
"dateModified": "2025-05-20T14:58:18-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"source": "News",
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-1996916",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/science/1996916/california-delta-leaders-blast-newsoms-push-to-fast-track-20-billion-water-tunnel",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cem>Updated at 2:58 pm \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Less than a week after Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1996769/newsom-pushes-fast-track-20-billion-delta-tunnel-california-water\">fast-tracking a controversial tunnel project\u003c/a> to send more Northern California water south, a group of lawmakers, tribal leaders and environmentalists is calling on the Legislature to reject the idea, calling it “a broken process that silences local voices.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Members of the Legislature’s Delta Caucus on Tuesday said that the project will cost more than $20 billion and that Californians will ultimately foot a mounting bill because of inflation and tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump. They also accused Newsom of favoring agricultural interests and Southern California over the needs of Northern California communities, and said the project will harm fish species, the environment and local economies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This project will devastate the delta’s ecosystem and place an enormous financial burden on ratepayers at a time when Californians are already struggling with the cost of living,” said Assemblymember Lori Wilson, D-Suisun City, who represents communities throughout the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In an email Tuesday afternoon, the Newsom administration disputed the caucus members’ comments, saying they demonstrate “why this fast track is necessary, as it is clear that misinformation will continue to delay and obfuscate this critical project.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Officials said that not all taxpayers will pay for the project, which they noted will serve more than 27 million people and 750,000 acres of farmland. Public water agencies in the Bay Area, San Joaquin Valley and Southern California that receive water from the State Water Project and have signed onto the project will fund it, they said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996925\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996925\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/GavinNewsom2025AP2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/GavinNewsom2025AP2.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/GavinNewsom2025AP2-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/GavinNewsom2025AP2-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/GavinNewsom2025AP2-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/GavinNewsom2025AP2-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/GavinNewsom2025AP2-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/GavinNewsom2025AP2-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Gov. Gavin Newsom stands in front of a state flag during a press conference about President Donald Trump’s tariffs on April 16, 2025, at an almond farm in Ceres, California. \u003ccite>(Noah Berger/AP Photo)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The Delta Conveyance Project has been through many iterations and decades of debate by California lawmakers, going from a proposed canal to two tunnels and now a single tunnel.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As part of his \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12040025/newsom-blames-trump-california-budget-deficit-aims-cap-undocumented-health-care\">revised budget proposal\u003c/a> last week, Newsom laid out in an announcement and \u003ca href=\"https://trailerbill.dof.ca.gov/public/trailerBill/pdf/1263\">trailer bill\u003c/a> how he wants the Legislature to accelerate the 45-mile-long tunnel through the delta by taking action to simplify permitting and land acquisition, confirm that the Department of Water Resources has the authority to issue bonds to cover the project’s cost, prevent unnecessary litigation delays and support construction.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Newsom argues that the tunnel is imperative for adapting the state to a hotter and drier climate that could result in 10% less water by the 2040s.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re done with barriers — our state needs to complete this project as soon as possible, so that we can better store and manage water to prepare for a hotter, drier future,” he said in a release.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Delta Caucus agreed with Newsom that California’s current water system is outdated and unprepared to handle the storms or dry periods of the future. However, its members said that other solutions, including water recycling and fortifying delta levees, are better options to cure the state’s ongoing water woes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "science_1996769",
"hero": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/DeltaGetty-1020x574.jpg",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Robbing water from the north and drying out the north just to water the south doesn’t make it better at all,” said Assemblymember Stephanie Nguyen, D–Elk Grove. “We need to have a balanced approach and go back and invest in water recycling and storage.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the administration called the caucus’ calls for other solutions “simplistic” and said they “ignore the practical realities and complexities of serving 27 million Californians.” The state needs an all-hands-on-deck approach that includes “modernizing the State Water Project while also advancing local solutions like recycling and desalination,” officials wrote.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Malissa Tayaba, vice chairperson of the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians, whose ancestral lands include the delta, said her tribe would be “irreparably harmed” by the project.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We will not only lose access to our homelands that we have cared for and stewarded for time immemorial, but we will also lose our delta estuary, already in crisis,” she said. “More importantly, the Delta Conveyance Project would destroy and desecrate the resting place of our ancestors.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ashley Overhouse, water policy adviser for Defenders of Wildlife, said that the tunnel would undermine Southern California’s efforts to promote water resilience on its own and that Newsom needs “to end his obsession with the tunnel\u003cem>.”\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Instead, she said Newsom should “start working more closely with Southern California communities” instead of “trying to force the tunnel down our throats” and work with delta communities on “a collaborative approach” that “everyone can get behind. It’s not too late.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, the Southern California Water Coalition commended Newsom’s proposal, calling it a “bold initiative” that would enhance “water resiliency and reliability for Southern California.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This initiative is vital for the 85% of Southern Californians who recognize the need for a secure water future,” said Charley Wilson, the group’s executive director.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/science/1996916/california-delta-leaders-blast-newsoms-push-to-fast-track-20-billion-water-tunnel",
"authors": [
"11746"
],
"categories": [
"science_31",
"science_40",
"science_98"
],
"tags": [
"science_5178",
"science_3905",
"science_3180",
"science_182",
"science_194",
"science_202",
"science_4414",
"science_5371",
"science_100",
"science_201",
"science_110"
],
"featImg": "science_1996921",
"label": "source_science_1996916"
},
"science_1996769": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "science_1996769",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1996769",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1747261006000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "newsom-pushes-fast-track-20-billion-delta-tunnel-california-water",
"title": "Newsom Pushes to Fast-Track $20 Billion Delta Tunnel for California Water",
"publishDate": 1747261006,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "Newsom Pushes to Fast-Track $20 Billion Delta Tunnel for California Water | KQED",
"labelTerm": {
"site": "science"
},
"content": "\u003cp>Gov. Gavin Newsom’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12040025/newsom-blames-trump-california-budget-deficit-aims-cap-undocumented-health-care\">revised budget proposal\u003c/a> announced Wednesday includes a push to fast-track a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11986659/newsom-says-california-water-tunnel-will-cost-20-billion-officials-and-experts-say-its-worth-it\">contentious tunnel project\u003c/a> that could deliver more water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta to farms and cities throughout the state.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Delta Conveyance Project has been through many iterations and decades of debate by California lawmakers, going from a proposed canal to two tunnels and now a single tunnel.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Newsom wants the Legislature to adopt his plan to accelerate the $20 billion, 45-mile-long tunnel through the delta by passing bills to simplify permitting, confirm that the Department of Water Resources has the authority to issue bonds to cover the project’s cost, prevent unnecessary litigation delays and support construction.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The governor believes the tunnel is imperative for adapting the state for a hotter and drier climate that could result in 10% less water by the 2040s. But some lawmakers and environmental groups vehemently oppose the idea, saying it will \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12018557/will-californias-new-plan-for-water-rules-save-salmon-from-extinction\">harm fish species\u003c/a>, the environment and local economies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California’s current water system is outdated and unprepared to handle the storms or dry periods of the future, Newsom said, adding that not investing in a new tunnel would cost Californians more in the long run.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996801\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996801\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/SacramentoDelta-17_qed-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/SacramentoDelta-17_qed-1.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/SacramentoDelta-17_qed-1-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/SacramentoDelta-17_qed-1-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/SacramentoDelta-17_qed-1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/SacramentoDelta-17_qed-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/SacramentoDelta-17_qed-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/SacramentoDelta-17_qed-1-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Rio Vista Bridge spanning the Sacramento River in California on the afternoon of Friday, Sept. 10, 2021. The area is part of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, which is the hub of California’s water supply, supplying fresh water to two-thirds of the state’s population and millions of acres of farmland. \u003ccite>(Joyce Tsai/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The delta tunnel project, he said, could capture additional water during years of excess rain. Had it been operational during \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1935067/rivers-in-the-sky-what-you-need-to-know-about-atmospheric-river-storms\">atmospheric rivers\u003c/a> in 2024, he said the project could have captured enough water for 9.8 million people to use for a year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“For too long, attempts to modernize our critical water infrastructure have stalled in endless red tape, burdened with unnecessary delay,” Newsom said in a release. “We’re done with barriers — our state needs to complete this project as soon as possible, so that we can better store and manage water to prepare for a hotter, drier future.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Newsom said the state completed an \u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/2023/12/08/governor-newsom-reaffirms-support-for-updated-delta-conveyance-proposal/\">environmental impact report\u003c/a> in 2023 and has gained the support of water agencies across California. But he said the project’s “path forward is burdened by complicated regulatory frameworks and bureaucratic delays.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>His announcement comes as President Donald Trump has \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12023248/trump-again-wades-into-california-water-use-fight-drawing-skepticism-from-experts\">called on the state to deliver more water\u003c/a> from Northern California to farms and Southern California.[aside postID=news_12040025 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/GavinNewsom2025AP2-1020x680.jpg']The State Water Project can already capture, move and store enough water to be used by 27 million people and service 750,000 acres of farmland.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The State Water Contractors, a nonprofit representing 27 public water agencies, celebrated Newsom’s idea and said it could reduce administrative delays that would push the project out years, if not decades.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The Delta Conveyance Project review and approval process has been hampered by red tape and frivolous delay tactics for decades, costing Californians millions of dollars without addressing our very real challenges with water supply reliability,” said Jennifer Pierre, the nonprofit’s general manager.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, State Sen. Jerry McNerney (D–Pleasanton), co-chair of the California Legislative Delta Caucus, called the plan “poorly conceived” and encouraged the Legislature to reject it. He said the tunnel project would destroy farmland, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1992309/californias-commercial-salmon-season-is-closed-again-this-year\">salmon fisheries\u003c/a> and tribal resources.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Plus, the tunnel’s costs would have to be shouldered by ratepayers who are already overburdened by skyrocketing utility bills,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996805\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1996805 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/007_KQED_LoriWilson_03172022_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/007_KQED_LoriWilson_03172022_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/007_KQED_LoriWilson_03172022_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/007_KQED_LoriWilson_03172022_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/007_KQED_LoriWilson_03172022_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/007_KQED_LoriWilson_03172022_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/007_KQED_LoriWilson_03172022_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/007_KQED_LoriWilson_03172022_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Assemblymember Lori Wilson (D-Suisun City) poses for a portrait in Suisun City on March 17, 2022. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Assemblymember Lori Wilson (D-Suisun City), who represents communities throughout the delta, called Newsom’s proposal a “last-ditch effort” to push the project through before his term ends. She said if the plan is approved, it would devastate ecosystems and burden ratepayers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This approach threatens the livelihood of our local communities and undermines the sustainability of our regional economy,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Peter Gleick, co-founder of the Pacific Institute, said in an email he is generally “not a fan of ‘fast tracking’ massive projects that are controversial, costly, and opposed by diverse coalitions and communities.”[aside postID=news_12023248 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/01/GettyImages-1495481816_qed-1020x652.jpg']California “has many other options for building resilience into our water systems that don’t cost so much money, take so much time and affect so many people,” he said, pointing to conservation efforts, efficiency programs, wastewater reuse, accelerated stormwater capture and updates to agricultural irrigation systems.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other longtime California water experts were similarly skeptical of the delta tunnel.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Richard Walker, professor emeritus of economic and urban geography at UC Berkeley, called the project a “terrible idea” and a tactic to deliver more water to the agricultural sector.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s just a pipe dream,” he said. “It’s a lousy idea and everybody knows it who has wits in their head and who isn’t beholden to agribusiness and developers. Well, guess who’s beholden to agribusiness and developers? Governor Newsom.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Scott Artis, executive director of the Golden State Salmon Association, called Newsom’s proposal “an attack on the salmon fishing industry and the state’s biggest rivers.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“At the end of the day, this proposal is a nail in the coffin of California’s once mighty salmon runs, a stake in the heart of the Delta, and a raid on the pocketbooks of the people of Southern California and Silicon Valley,” Artis said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "The effort, part of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s updated budget, is needed to prepare the state for a drier future, he said. However, some lawmakers and environmental groups strongly oppose the idea.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1747267735,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 23,
"wordCount": 998
},
"headData": {
"title": "Newsom Pushes to Fast-Track $20 Billion Delta Tunnel for California Water | KQED",
"description": "The effort, part of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s updated budget, is needed to prepare the state for a drier future, he said. However, some lawmakers and environmental groups strongly oppose the idea.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "Newsom Pushes to Fast-Track $20 Billion Delta Tunnel for California Water",
"datePublished": "2025-05-14T15:16:46-07:00",
"dateModified": "2025-05-14T17:08:55-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-1996769",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/science/1996769/newsom-pushes-fast-track-20-billion-delta-tunnel-california-water",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Gov. Gavin Newsom’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12040025/newsom-blames-trump-california-budget-deficit-aims-cap-undocumented-health-care\">revised budget proposal\u003c/a> announced Wednesday includes a push to fast-track a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11986659/newsom-says-california-water-tunnel-will-cost-20-billion-officials-and-experts-say-its-worth-it\">contentious tunnel project\u003c/a> that could deliver more water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta to farms and cities throughout the state.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Delta Conveyance Project has been through many iterations and decades of debate by California lawmakers, going from a proposed canal to two tunnels and now a single tunnel.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Newsom wants the Legislature to adopt his plan to accelerate the $20 billion, 45-mile-long tunnel through the delta by passing bills to simplify permitting, confirm that the Department of Water Resources has the authority to issue bonds to cover the project’s cost, prevent unnecessary litigation delays and support construction.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The governor believes the tunnel is imperative for adapting the state for a hotter and drier climate that could result in 10% less water by the 2040s. But some lawmakers and environmental groups vehemently oppose the idea, saying it will \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12018557/will-californias-new-plan-for-water-rules-save-salmon-from-extinction\">harm fish species\u003c/a>, the environment and local economies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California’s current water system is outdated and unprepared to handle the storms or dry periods of the future, Newsom said, adding that not investing in a new tunnel would cost Californians more in the long run.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996801\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996801\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/SacramentoDelta-17_qed-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/SacramentoDelta-17_qed-1.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/SacramentoDelta-17_qed-1-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/SacramentoDelta-17_qed-1-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/SacramentoDelta-17_qed-1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/SacramentoDelta-17_qed-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/SacramentoDelta-17_qed-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/SacramentoDelta-17_qed-1-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Rio Vista Bridge spanning the Sacramento River in California on the afternoon of Friday, Sept. 10, 2021. The area is part of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, which is the hub of California’s water supply, supplying fresh water to two-thirds of the state’s population and millions of acres of farmland. \u003ccite>(Joyce Tsai/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The delta tunnel project, he said, could capture additional water during years of excess rain. Had it been operational during \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1935067/rivers-in-the-sky-what-you-need-to-know-about-atmospheric-river-storms\">atmospheric rivers\u003c/a> in 2024, he said the project could have captured enough water for 9.8 million people to use for a year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“For too long, attempts to modernize our critical water infrastructure have stalled in endless red tape, burdened with unnecessary delay,” Newsom said in a release. “We’re done with barriers — our state needs to complete this project as soon as possible, so that we can better store and manage water to prepare for a hotter, drier future.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Newsom said the state completed an \u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/2023/12/08/governor-newsom-reaffirms-support-for-updated-delta-conveyance-proposal/\">environmental impact report\u003c/a> in 2023 and has gained the support of water agencies across California. But he said the project’s “path forward is burdened by complicated regulatory frameworks and bureaucratic delays.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>His announcement comes as President Donald Trump has \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12023248/trump-again-wades-into-california-water-use-fight-drawing-skepticism-from-experts\">called on the state to deliver more water\u003c/a> from Northern California to farms and Southern California.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "news_12040025",
"hero": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/GavinNewsom2025AP2-1020x680.jpg",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>The State Water Project can already capture, move and store enough water to be used by 27 million people and service 750,000 acres of farmland.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The State Water Contractors, a nonprofit representing 27 public water agencies, celebrated Newsom’s idea and said it could reduce administrative delays that would push the project out years, if not decades.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The Delta Conveyance Project review and approval process has been hampered by red tape and frivolous delay tactics for decades, costing Californians millions of dollars without addressing our very real challenges with water supply reliability,” said Jennifer Pierre, the nonprofit’s general manager.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, State Sen. Jerry McNerney (D–Pleasanton), co-chair of the California Legislative Delta Caucus, called the plan “poorly conceived” and encouraged the Legislature to reject it. He said the tunnel project would destroy farmland, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1992309/californias-commercial-salmon-season-is-closed-again-this-year\">salmon fisheries\u003c/a> and tribal resources.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Plus, the tunnel’s costs would have to be shouldered by ratepayers who are already overburdened by skyrocketing utility bills,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996805\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1996805 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/007_KQED_LoriWilson_03172022_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/007_KQED_LoriWilson_03172022_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/007_KQED_LoriWilson_03172022_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/007_KQED_LoriWilson_03172022_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/007_KQED_LoriWilson_03172022_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/007_KQED_LoriWilson_03172022_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/007_KQED_LoriWilson_03172022_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/007_KQED_LoriWilson_03172022_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Assemblymember Lori Wilson (D-Suisun City) poses for a portrait in Suisun City on March 17, 2022. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Assemblymember Lori Wilson (D-Suisun City), who represents communities throughout the delta, called Newsom’s proposal a “last-ditch effort” to push the project through before his term ends. She said if the plan is approved, it would devastate ecosystems and burden ratepayers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This approach threatens the livelihood of our local communities and undermines the sustainability of our regional economy,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Peter Gleick, co-founder of the Pacific Institute, said in an email he is generally “not a fan of ‘fast tracking’ massive projects that are controversial, costly, and opposed by diverse coalitions and communities.”\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "news_12023248",
"hero": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/01/GettyImages-1495481816_qed-1020x652.jpg",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>California “has many other options for building resilience into our water systems that don’t cost so much money, take so much time and affect so many people,” he said, pointing to conservation efforts, efficiency programs, wastewater reuse, accelerated stormwater capture and updates to agricultural irrigation systems.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other longtime California water experts were similarly skeptical of the delta tunnel.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Richard Walker, professor emeritus of economic and urban geography at UC Berkeley, called the project a “terrible idea” and a tactic to deliver more water to the agricultural sector.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s just a pipe dream,” he said. “It’s a lousy idea and everybody knows it who has wits in their head and who isn’t beholden to agribusiness and developers. Well, guess who’s beholden to agribusiness and developers? Governor Newsom.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Scott Artis, executive director of the Golden State Salmon Association, called Newsom’s proposal “an attack on the salmon fishing industry and the state’s biggest rivers.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“At the end of the day, this proposal is a nail in the coffin of California’s once mighty salmon runs, a stake in the heart of the Delta, and a raid on the pocketbooks of the people of Southern California and Silicon Valley,” Artis said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/science/1996769/newsom-pushes-fast-track-20-billion-delta-tunnel-california-water",
"authors": [
"11746"
],
"categories": [
"science_31",
"science_40",
"science_4450"
],
"tags": [
"science_856",
"science_5178",
"science_182",
"science_194",
"science_202",
"science_4414",
"science_5371",
"science_100",
"science_309"
],
"featImg": "science_1996804",
"label": "science"
},
"science_1996746": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "science_1996746",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1996746",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1746826202000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "rising-tides-tough-choices-pacifica-allowed-bolster-seawalls-stopgap-plan",
"title": "Rising Tides, Tough Choices: Pacifica Allowed to Bolster Seawalls as a Stopgap Plan",
"publishDate": 1746826202,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "Rising Tides, Tough Choices: Pacifica Allowed to Bolster Seawalls as a Stopgap Plan | KQED",
"labelTerm": {
"site": "science"
},
"content": "\u003cp>Pacifica can continue using old seawalls and reinforce or expand them to protect the city from crashing waves, erosion and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12016813/bay-area-now-has-first-ever-regional-sea-level-rise-plan\">sea level rise\u003c/a> over the next two decades, the California Coastal Commission ruled Thursday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The controversial ruling serves as a stopgap so the city can develop a long-term strategy to deal with sea level rise, which was \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1984830/california-mandates-coastal-cities-plan-for-future-sea-level-rise\">mandated by a state law\u003c/a> passed in 2023.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The city is known for its sweeping beach, homes with views of the Pacific Ocean, big waves for surfing, a shoreline Taco Bell and hiking trails. However, many of the reasons people love and live in Pacifica are at risk from the effects of climate change, primarily rising seas and flooding from intensifying storms.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pacifica’s push to improve and continue to use its old seawalls, backed by local elected officials and developers, was part of updating its more than 40-year-old local coastal program land use plan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“That plan is no longer sufficient to address the challenging conditions we face in Pacifica: significant bluff erosion impacts from intensifying weather events, flooding from storm surges, rising sea levels and other effects of climate change,” Mayor Sue Beckmeyer said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1915665\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1915665\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2017/09/Fig4-9_PacificaCliff_Griggs.jpeg\" alt=\"Eroding sea cliffs have forced the demolition of several apartment buildings in Pacifica.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2017/09/Fig4-9_PacificaCliff_Griggs.jpeg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2017/09/Fig4-9_PacificaCliff_Griggs-160x120.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2017/09/Fig4-9_PacificaCliff_Griggs-800x600.jpeg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2017/09/Fig4-9_PacificaCliff_Griggs-768x576.jpeg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2017/09/Fig4-9_PacificaCliff_Griggs-1020x765.jpeg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2017/09/Fig4-9_PacificaCliff_Griggs-1920x1440.jpeg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2017/09/Fig4-9_PacificaCliff_Griggs-1180x885.jpeg 1180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2017/09/Fig4-9_PacificaCliff_Griggs-960x720.jpeg 960w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2017/09/Fig4-9_PacificaCliff_Griggs-240x180.jpeg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2017/09/Fig4-9_PacificaCliff_Griggs-375x281.jpeg 375w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2017/09/Fig4-9_PacificaCliff_Griggs-520x390.jpeg 520w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Eroding sea cliffs have forced the demolition of several apartment buildings in Pacifica. \u003ccite>(Gary Griggs/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Under the new plan approved by the commission, Pacifica can continue to armor its shoreline at Beach Boulevard near Pacifica Pier and Rockaway Beach. Existing seawalls and riprap can be rebuilt or expanded.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Environmental groups, residents and other elected officials who opposed the seawall plan said it would make it more difficult to protect the coastline.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Both Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Trump administration are closely watching the decisions of the Coastal Commission, which the president has called for dismantling as federal lawmakers aim to weaken its purview.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Justin Cummings, chair of the commission, commended Pacifica for being one of the first cities to begin to adapt to sea level rise as part of the state’s mandate, in the face of a long history of erosion and the need to prepare for more in the future.[aside postID=science_1996728 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/SanFranciscoSinkingGetty-1020x680.jpg']“The fact that there is tension shows this has been made very public,” Cummings said. “Our coastline is not the same, and there is no one-size-fits-all approach to dealing with sea level rise.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The ruling attempts to balance developers’ needs with coastal protection, but opponents argue the plan to upgrade seawalls violates the Coastal Act, is short-sighted and will make it more complicated in the long run to adapt to sea level rise.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When large-scale seawalls are built or rebuilt or reinforced, and the new development goes in behind it, long-term solutions like relocating out of harm’s way will fall by the wayside and seawalls will remain,” said Mandy Sackett, California policy manager for the Surfrider Foundation. “But in truth, it’s giving away our leverage now with no guarantee of results later.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Opponents also argue that seawalls cause beaches to erode and can exacerbate flooding or the loss of coastal homes, roads and infrastructure in the long run. They said continuing to armor Pacifica’s coastline will ultimately lock the city into using seawalls as long-term strategies and sacrifice more of the city to the rising ocean.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Catalina Gomes, founder of the Muchia Te’ Indigenous Land Trust and descendant of a Ramaytush Ohlone settlement village in Pacifica, opposes the plan and said the commission declined her tribal consultation, although it agreed to work with tribes on any new projects.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996757\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1777px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996757\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/LindaMar_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1777\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/LindaMar_qed.jpg 1777w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/LindaMar_qed-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/LindaMar_qed-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/LindaMar_qed-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/LindaMar_qed-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/LindaMar_qed-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1777px) 100vw, 1777px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Linda Mar Beach in Pacifica is a common surf spot, and for many, just a great place to relax. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Bill Zeller)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“This is a culturally sensitive area for us. This is sacred land,” she said. “It’s a very short-sighted approach, and science proves that restoration of wetlands, marshes and dunes is the best solution to dealing with sea level rise.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Surfers worry that more seawalls will eventually limit beach access, and some residents said that coastal hazards like erosion have already caused the city to tear down homes over the decades to prevent them from collapsing into the ocean.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cindy Abbott, who has lived in Pacifica for decades, said intense storms and strong waves have resulted in “the end of her street being closed off every year and multiple times.” She asked the commission to denounce the plan and instead “honor the coast.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, Kate Huckelbridge, executive director of the Coastal Commission, emphasized that the 20-year seawall plan is a temporary solution for the “existential threat” from the long-term effects of sea level rise brought about by human-caused climate change.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The scope and scale of that challenge here in Pacifica, but also for the rest of our coastal communities, is daunting,” she said. “Our beaches will disappear if we do not change how we live, work and play on our coastline. If we want to avoid that future, we need to get serious about planning for the future that we do want.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "In a controversial ruling, the California Coastal Commission allowed Pacifica to use seawalls to protect its shoreline for two decades but emphasized that a long-term solution is needed.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1746828838,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 20,
"wordCount": 888
},
"headData": {
"title": "Rising Tides, Tough Choices: Pacifica Allowed to Bolster Seawalls as a Stopgap Plan | KQED",
"description": "In a controversial ruling, the California Coastal Commission allowed Pacifica to use seawalls to protect its shoreline for two decades but emphasized that a long-term solution is needed.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "Rising Tides, Tough Choices: Pacifica Allowed to Bolster Seawalls as a Stopgap Plan",
"datePublished": "2025-05-09T14:30:02-07:00",
"dateModified": "2025-05-09T15:13:58-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-1996746",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/science/1996746/rising-tides-tough-choices-pacifica-allowed-bolster-seawalls-stopgap-plan",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Pacifica can continue using old seawalls and reinforce or expand them to protect the city from crashing waves, erosion and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12016813/bay-area-now-has-first-ever-regional-sea-level-rise-plan\">sea level rise\u003c/a> over the next two decades, the California Coastal Commission ruled Thursday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The controversial ruling serves as a stopgap so the city can develop a long-term strategy to deal with sea level rise, which was \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1984830/california-mandates-coastal-cities-plan-for-future-sea-level-rise\">mandated by a state law\u003c/a> passed in 2023.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The city is known for its sweeping beach, homes with views of the Pacific Ocean, big waves for surfing, a shoreline Taco Bell and hiking trails. However, many of the reasons people love and live in Pacifica are at risk from the effects of climate change, primarily rising seas and flooding from intensifying storms.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pacifica’s push to improve and continue to use its old seawalls, backed by local elected officials and developers, was part of updating its more than 40-year-old local coastal program land use plan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“That plan is no longer sufficient to address the challenging conditions we face in Pacifica: significant bluff erosion impacts from intensifying weather events, flooding from storm surges, rising sea levels and other effects of climate change,” Mayor Sue Beckmeyer said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1915665\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1915665\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2017/09/Fig4-9_PacificaCliff_Griggs.jpeg\" alt=\"Eroding sea cliffs have forced the demolition of several apartment buildings in Pacifica.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2017/09/Fig4-9_PacificaCliff_Griggs.jpeg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2017/09/Fig4-9_PacificaCliff_Griggs-160x120.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2017/09/Fig4-9_PacificaCliff_Griggs-800x600.jpeg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2017/09/Fig4-9_PacificaCliff_Griggs-768x576.jpeg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2017/09/Fig4-9_PacificaCliff_Griggs-1020x765.jpeg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2017/09/Fig4-9_PacificaCliff_Griggs-1920x1440.jpeg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2017/09/Fig4-9_PacificaCliff_Griggs-1180x885.jpeg 1180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2017/09/Fig4-9_PacificaCliff_Griggs-960x720.jpeg 960w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2017/09/Fig4-9_PacificaCliff_Griggs-240x180.jpeg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2017/09/Fig4-9_PacificaCliff_Griggs-375x281.jpeg 375w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2017/09/Fig4-9_PacificaCliff_Griggs-520x390.jpeg 520w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Eroding sea cliffs have forced the demolition of several apartment buildings in Pacifica. \u003ccite>(Gary Griggs/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Under the new plan approved by the commission, Pacifica can continue to armor its shoreline at Beach Boulevard near Pacifica Pier and Rockaway Beach. Existing seawalls and riprap can be rebuilt or expanded.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Environmental groups, residents and other elected officials who opposed the seawall plan said it would make it more difficult to protect the coastline.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Both Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Trump administration are closely watching the decisions of the Coastal Commission, which the president has called for dismantling as federal lawmakers aim to weaken its purview.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Justin Cummings, chair of the commission, commended Pacifica for being one of the first cities to begin to adapt to sea level rise as part of the state’s mandate, in the face of a long history of erosion and the need to prepare for more in the future.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "science_1996728",
"hero": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/SanFranciscoSinkingGetty-1020x680.jpg",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“The fact that there is tension shows this has been made very public,” Cummings said. “Our coastline is not the same, and there is no one-size-fits-all approach to dealing with sea level rise.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The ruling attempts to balance developers’ needs with coastal protection, but opponents argue the plan to upgrade seawalls violates the Coastal Act, is short-sighted and will make it more complicated in the long run to adapt to sea level rise.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When large-scale seawalls are built or rebuilt or reinforced, and the new development goes in behind it, long-term solutions like relocating out of harm’s way will fall by the wayside and seawalls will remain,” said Mandy Sackett, California policy manager for the Surfrider Foundation. “But in truth, it’s giving away our leverage now with no guarantee of results later.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Opponents also argue that seawalls cause beaches to erode and can exacerbate flooding or the loss of coastal homes, roads and infrastructure in the long run. They said continuing to armor Pacifica’s coastline will ultimately lock the city into using seawalls as long-term strategies and sacrifice more of the city to the rising ocean.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Catalina Gomes, founder of the Muchia Te’ Indigenous Land Trust and descendant of a Ramaytush Ohlone settlement village in Pacifica, opposes the plan and said the commission declined her tribal consultation, although it agreed to work with tribes on any new projects.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996757\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1777px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996757\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/LindaMar_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1777\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/LindaMar_qed.jpg 1777w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/LindaMar_qed-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/LindaMar_qed-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/LindaMar_qed-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/LindaMar_qed-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/LindaMar_qed-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1777px) 100vw, 1777px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Linda Mar Beach in Pacifica is a common surf spot, and for many, just a great place to relax. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Bill Zeller)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“This is a culturally sensitive area for us. This is sacred land,” she said. “It’s a very short-sighted approach, and science proves that restoration of wetlands, marshes and dunes is the best solution to dealing with sea level rise.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Surfers worry that more seawalls will eventually limit beach access, and some residents said that coastal hazards like erosion have already caused the city to tear down homes over the decades to prevent them from collapsing into the ocean.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cindy Abbott, who has lived in Pacifica for decades, said intense storms and strong waves have resulted in “the end of her street being closed off every year and multiple times.” She asked the commission to denounce the plan and instead “honor the coast.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, Kate Huckelbridge, executive director of the Coastal Commission, emphasized that the 20-year seawall plan is a temporary solution for the “existential threat” from the long-term effects of sea level rise brought about by human-caused climate change.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The scope and scale of that challenge here in Pacifica, but also for the rest of our coastal communities, is daunting,” she said. “Our beaches will disappear if we do not change how we live, work and play on our coastline. If we want to avoid that future, we need to get serious about planning for the future that we do want.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/science/1996746/rising-tides-tough-choices-pacifica-allowed-bolster-seawalls-stopgap-plan",
"authors": [
"11746"
],
"categories": [
"science_31",
"science_40",
"science_4450"
],
"tags": [
"science_856",
"science_5178",
"science_715",
"science_182",
"science_194",
"science_4414",
"science_1155",
"science_309",
"science_206"
],
"featImg": "science_1973377",
"label": "science"
},
"science_1996728": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "science_1996728",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1996728",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1746738248000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "americas-largest-cities-including-san-francisco-quietly-sinking",
"title": "America's Largest Cities, Including San Francisco, Are Quietly Sinking",
"publishDate": 1746738248,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "America’s Largest Cities, Including San Francisco, Are Quietly Sinking | KQED",
"labelTerm": {
"site": "science"
},
"content": "\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12027540/land-sinking-fast-around-bay-area-worsening-effects-sea-level-rise\">slow sinking\u003c/a> of the nation’s biggest metropolitan areas — including parts of San Francisco — poses a growing hazard with vast socioeconomic consequences, researchers said in a new study.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Because the sinking areas are usually in the densest parts of cities, as many as 34 million people could be affected and 29,000 buildings could be at high risk of damage, according to the study \u003ca href=\"https://www.nature.com/articles/s44284-025-00240-y\">published this week\u003c/a> in the journal Nature Cities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Using satellite data from 2015 to 2021, the authors looked at 28 U.S. cities with populations over 600,000 and found that in every one, at least 20% of urban areas are sinking — but in 25 of the cities, at least two-thirds of their area is subsiding. This phenomenon, often caused by overpumping groundwater, can increase flood potential.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Settlement can allow cracks to propagate across structures, causing warping of roads and pavement, which can strain infrastructure,” said lead author Leonard Ohenhen, a postdoctoral researcher at the Columbia Climate School’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In San Francisco, groundwater pumping isn’t a problem. Because much of the city’s fringes are built on filled-in land and the region is influenced by tectonic activity, the authors suggest that soil is compacting over time in areas like Treasure Island and Islais Creek.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996736\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996736\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/SinkingCities.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2004\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/SinkingCities.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/SinkingCities-800x802.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/SinkingCities-1020x1022.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/SinkingCities-160x160.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/SinkingCities-768x770.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/SinkingCities-1533x1536.jpg 1533w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/SinkingCities-1920x1924.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The researchers looked at four California cities for rates of subsidence: San Francisco, San José, Los Angeles and San Diego. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Leonard Ohenhen)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The authors found that parts of the city subsided around 5 millimeters a year. On average, San Francisco sank a millimeter annually, Los Angeles 0.7 millimeters per year and San Diego 1.1 millimeters per year. Houston led all major U.S. cities, with about \u003ca href=\"https://lamont.columbia.edu/news/all-biggest-us-cities-are-sinking\">20 millimeters of sinking annually\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In some cities, including parts of San José, however, land is lifting slightly, potentially because of groundwater recharge.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While millimeters’ worth of land movement may seem tiny, subsidence can stress infrastructure over time, making it unsafe in the decades to come.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The sky is not falling,” Ohenhen said. “This does not mean that you have to leave your homes right now. But in places like San Francisco, where you have tectonic forces and earthquakes, you’re already weakening the foundations of the buildings.”[aside postID=news_12027540 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/BayFarmShoreline_001_qed-1020x680.jpg']Ohenhen said the extra pressure from seismic activity can “lead eventually to such high-end catastrophes like a building collapse or more prominent structural failure.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The good news is that with this knowledge, cities can prepare for a future that involves sinking land.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“As opposed to just saying it’s a problem, we can respond, address, mitigate, adapt,” Ohenhen said in a release. “We have to move to solutions.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12027540/land-sinking-fast-around-bay-area-worsening-effects-sea-level-rise\">separate study from this year\u003c/a>, also using satellite imagery, found that land along San Francisco Bay in San Rafael, Corte Madera, Foster City and Alameda’s Bay Farm Island is subsiding more than 0.4 inches, about 10 millimeters, a year. When considering the subsidence rate, local sea levels could rise by more than double the regional estimate by 2050.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Areas might be affected by the rising water much sooner than we anticipate, and that brings by itself increased flooding and tidal inundation,” said Marin Govorcin, the study’s lead author and a NASA remote sensing scientist in Southern California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to the study, infrastructure such as San Francisco International Airport could see nearly a foot of sea level rise by 2050.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“What this says is that our situation in relation to flooding is worse than we thought,” said Kristina Hill, a UC Berkeley professor and a leading sea level rise scientist who was not involved in the study. “The region’s economy depends on the airports, so we’ll need to continue to focus on how to adapt those airports to these new conditions.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "A new study found significant parts of all major urban areas of the country are sinking, posing a growing hazard to buildings, roads, bridges and utilities. ",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1746741917,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 17,
"wordCount": 681
},
"headData": {
"title": "America's Largest Cities, Including San Francisco, Are Quietly Sinking | KQED",
"description": "A new study found significant parts of all major urban areas of the country are sinking, posing a growing hazard to buildings, roads, bridges and utilities. ",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "America's Largest Cities, Including San Francisco, Are Quietly Sinking",
"datePublished": "2025-05-08T14:04:08-07:00",
"dateModified": "2025-05-08T15:05:17-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-1996728",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/science/1996728/americas-largest-cities-including-san-francisco-quietly-sinking",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12027540/land-sinking-fast-around-bay-area-worsening-effects-sea-level-rise\">slow sinking\u003c/a> of the nation’s biggest metropolitan areas — including parts of San Francisco — poses a growing hazard with vast socioeconomic consequences, researchers said in a new study.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Because the sinking areas are usually in the densest parts of cities, as many as 34 million people could be affected and 29,000 buildings could be at high risk of damage, according to the study \u003ca href=\"https://www.nature.com/articles/s44284-025-00240-y\">published this week\u003c/a> in the journal Nature Cities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Using satellite data from 2015 to 2021, the authors looked at 28 U.S. cities with populations over 600,000 and found that in every one, at least 20% of urban areas are sinking — but in 25 of the cities, at least two-thirds of their area is subsiding. This phenomenon, often caused by overpumping groundwater, can increase flood potential.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Settlement can allow cracks to propagate across structures, causing warping of roads and pavement, which can strain infrastructure,” said lead author Leonard Ohenhen, a postdoctoral researcher at the Columbia Climate School’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In San Francisco, groundwater pumping isn’t a problem. Because much of the city’s fringes are built on filled-in land and the region is influenced by tectonic activity, the authors suggest that soil is compacting over time in areas like Treasure Island and Islais Creek.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996736\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996736\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/SinkingCities.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2004\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/SinkingCities.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/SinkingCities-800x802.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/SinkingCities-1020x1022.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/SinkingCities-160x160.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/SinkingCities-768x770.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/SinkingCities-1533x1536.jpg 1533w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/SinkingCities-1920x1924.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The researchers looked at four California cities for rates of subsidence: San Francisco, San José, Los Angeles and San Diego. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Leonard Ohenhen)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The authors found that parts of the city subsided around 5 millimeters a year. On average, San Francisco sank a millimeter annually, Los Angeles 0.7 millimeters per year and San Diego 1.1 millimeters per year. Houston led all major U.S. cities, with about \u003ca href=\"https://lamont.columbia.edu/news/all-biggest-us-cities-are-sinking\">20 millimeters of sinking annually\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In some cities, including parts of San José, however, land is lifting slightly, potentially because of groundwater recharge.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While millimeters’ worth of land movement may seem tiny, subsidence can stress infrastructure over time, making it unsafe in the decades to come.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The sky is not falling,” Ohenhen said. “This does not mean that you have to leave your homes right now. But in places like San Francisco, where you have tectonic forces and earthquakes, you’re already weakening the foundations of the buildings.”\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "news_12027540",
"hero": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/BayFarmShoreline_001_qed-1020x680.jpg",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Ohenhen said the extra pressure from seismic activity can “lead eventually to such high-end catastrophes like a building collapse or more prominent structural failure.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The good news is that with this knowledge, cities can prepare for a future that involves sinking land.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“As opposed to just saying it’s a problem, we can respond, address, mitigate, adapt,” Ohenhen said in a release. “We have to move to solutions.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12027540/land-sinking-fast-around-bay-area-worsening-effects-sea-level-rise\">separate study from this year\u003c/a>, also using satellite imagery, found that land along San Francisco Bay in San Rafael, Corte Madera, Foster City and Alameda’s Bay Farm Island is subsiding more than 0.4 inches, about 10 millimeters, a year. When considering the subsidence rate, local sea levels could rise by more than double the regional estimate by 2050.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Areas might be affected by the rising water much sooner than we anticipate, and that brings by itself increased flooding and tidal inundation,” said Marin Govorcin, the study’s lead author and a NASA remote sensing scientist in Southern California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to the study, infrastructure such as San Francisco International Airport could see nearly a foot of sea level rise by 2050.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“What this says is that our situation in relation to flooding is worse than we thought,” said Kristina Hill, a UC Berkeley professor and a leading sea level rise scientist who was not involved in the study. “The region’s economy depends on the airports, so we’ll need to continue to focus on how to adapt those airports to these new conditions.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/science/1996728/americas-largest-cities-including-san-francisco-quietly-sinking",
"authors": [
"11746"
],
"categories": [
"science_31",
"science_40",
"science_4450"
],
"tags": [
"science_856",
"science_5178",
"science_182",
"science_194",
"science_4414",
"science_4833",
"science_5183",
"science_5177",
"science_309",
"science_206"
],
"featImg": "science_1996730",
"label": "science"
},
"science_1996611": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "science_1996611",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1996611",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1746442812000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "tiny-california-town-flooded-broke-reimagining-climate-insurance",
"title": "This Tiny California Town Is Flooded, Broke — and Reimagining Climate Insurance",
"publishDate": 1746442812,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "This Tiny California Town Is Flooded, Broke — and Reimagining Climate Insurance | KQED",
"labelTerm": {
"site": "science"
},
"content": "\u003cp>On a typical day, Iva Walton, a bar owner and the new mayor of the nearly forgotten city of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11973656/bay-area-creatives-find-unexpected-welcome-in-small-town-delta\">Isleton\u003c/a>, feels like she is trying to save the world.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Even though the present isn’t great right now, I have faith that our city is going to survive,” Walton said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Deep in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta’s \u003ca href=\"https://water.ca.gov/Programs/Bay-Delta\">sprawling web\u003c/a> of rivers and wetlands, deserted storefronts line Isleton’s Main Street. Walton’s business, Mei Wah Beer Room, presents a stark contrast with its fresh red and green paint.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Walton sat across a table from Vice Mayor David Kent at her bar on a Friday morning in January, drinking coffee. They mulled over how to preserve \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11973656/bay-area-creatives-find-unexpected-welcome-in-small-town-delta\">free-spirited\u003c/a> Isleton — known for its crawdad and Spam festivals — and the troubles the \u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/places/isleton-chinese-and-japanese-commercial-districts.htm\">historic\u003c/a> city faces, some of which stem from the nearby Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Isleton has a high risk of flooding but few resources, with a \u003ca href=\"https://www.census.gov/data/developers/data-sets/acs-5year.html\">fifth\u003c/a> of the city’s roughly 800 residents living in poverty. After rainstorms damaged its wastewater treatment facility, Isleton narrowly avoided bankruptcy this year. Walton consulted lawyers, accountants and flood insurance experts to bail it out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re in lightning mode,” Walton said. “There’s been a tendency for things to take a while to come to fruition here — you might call that ‘Delta time.’ But now, the faster, the better, so we can start to build up our city again.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996621\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1996621 size-medium\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-20-KQED-800x1200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"1200\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-20-KQED-800x1200.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-20-KQED-1020x1530.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-20-KQED-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-20-KQED-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-20-KQED-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-20-KQED.jpg 1333w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Iva Walton, Mayor of Isleton, poses for a photo at her bar, Mei Wan Beer Room, in Isleton on April 9, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1984643/reluctant-retreat-one-familys-fight-against-climate-induced-flooding\">As climate change drives up flooding risk\u003c/a>, the safest move for Isleton residents might be to abandon their small city — but short of that drastic option, insurance could provide a safety net. Now, with help from researchers, the state has \u003ca href=\"https://www.insurance.ca.gov/0400-news/0100-press-releases/release051-2024.cfm\">funded\u003c/a> its first community flood program, providing one private insurance policy for all Isleton residents at no cost.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Isleton is piloting community-based insurance for California, which desperately needs alternatives. Wildfires supercharged by climate change have \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12026808/fair-plan-bailout-from-insurance-companies-policyholders-following-la-fires\">cratered the home insurance market\u003c/a> — and many Californians don’t buy flood insurance at all, even as severe storms batter the state and its aging levees.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Isleton hoped to fund the program independently after the pilot ends in 2027 by establishing a parcel tax, but many residents seem unsupportive of paying it. Despite the uncertain future, Isleton’s new leadership said they plan to lock in the insurance policy this month.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The idea of insurance for the city of Isleton is hugely important and our number-one priority,” Kent said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Twenty-six miles of \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/environment/water/2025/04/delta-levees-risk-of-floods-repairs-cost-3-billion/\">underperforming\u003c/a> levees encircle Isleton, which sits on one of the Delta’s \u003ca href=\"https://ca.water.usgs.gov/projects/central-valley/delta-eastside-streams.html\">many islands\u003c/a>. The city ranges from around 6 feet below to 6 feet above sea level. The region is \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/environment/water/2025/04/delta-levees-risk-of-floods-repairs-cost-3-billion/\">accustomed\u003c/a> to flooding, but the June 21, 1972, flood was the most \u003ca href=\"https://californiarevealed.org/do/167c554e-972a-4634-b6ac-407ac3d4d3e1\">infamous\u003c/a> in Isleton.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Isleton resident Pam Bulahan was 9 years old at the time. Her family received word before dawn of a levee breach. They borrowed a flatbed truck and scrambled to load up their nice furniture.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’m watching the water creep across the road,” remembered Bulahan, who today sits on the City Council with Walton and supports the insurance pilot. “It was the eeriest thing I ever saw. I figured the houses were going down, and they did.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996624\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996624\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-30-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-30-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-30-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-30-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-30-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-30-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-30-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-30-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Pam Bulahan poses for a photo outside of her home in Isleton, which flooded in 1972, on April 9, 2025. She was only 9 years old when her family had to evacuate during the 1972 flood after a levee was breached. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>By sunrise, up to 5 feet of floodwater soaked her property. Around 200 buildings remained flooded for \u003ca href=\"https://www.cityofisleton.com/files/51f09522f/City_of_Isleton_General_Plan_2000_Part_I_Introduction_to_the_General_Plan_and_Executive_Su82959.pdf\">months\u003c/a>, forcing the entire community to evacuate. It took Bulahan’s family a couple of years and a loan to repair their house, where she still lives today.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Most recently, \u003ca href=\"https://www.cbsnews.com/sacramento/news/isleton-sewage-overflows-into-surrounding-rivers-are-you-at-risk/\">in 2023\u003c/a>, excessive rainfall cracked sewer pipes and overtopped Isleton’s wastewater treatment ponds, spilling sewage into the neighboring rivers — \u003ca href=\"https://water.ca.gov/water-basics/the-delta\">major sources\u003c/a> of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11886536/bay-area-do-you-know-where-your-water-comes-from-2\">drinking water\u003c/a> for the Bay Area and across the state.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In response to disasters like this, FEMA can \u003ca href=\"https://www.fema.gov/fact-sheet/understanding-individual-assistance-and-public-assistance#:~:text=Public%20Assistance%20can%20reimburse%20for,remaining%2025%20percent%20of%20costs\">reimburse\u003c/a> cities for public infrastructure damage. But as Isleton awaited FEMA’s relief, Walton said the city took out a bridge loan to assist with the repairs — and then struggled to make payments. \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2009-feb-04-me-isleton4-story.html\">Added to a long history of financial mismanagement\u003c/a>\u003cu>,\u003c/u> the city this year had to lay off 12 of its 16 staff members to avoid bankruptcy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Isleton’s challenges are not going away. With climate change, \u003ca href=\"https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-15474-2#Sec7\">models predict\u003c/a> annual flood damages from atmospheric rivers in the western U.S. could increase from $1 billion up to $3 billion by the end of this century.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996625\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1996625 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-38-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-38-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-38-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-38-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-38-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-38-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-38-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-38-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Pam Bulahan points to the San Joaquin River, at the site where a levee breach caused the 1972 flood, on W Brannan Island Road, in Isleton, on April 9, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Together, Walton, Kent and Bulahan form the board of Isleton’s \u003ca href=\"https://marineapps.naturalcapitalproject.org/california/docs/GeologicHazardAbatementDistricts.pdf\">Geologic Hazard Abatement District\u003c/a>, the entity tasked with purchasing the new community-wide insurance policy. With the help of the engineering firm \u003ca href=\"https://www.engeo.com/\">ENGEO\u003c/a>, the district plans to finalize the policy in May.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the district’s planning meeting in January, Walton clunked her water bottle on the table: “Call to order.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The group was joined by \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11938647/it-was-like-a-river-flood-insurance-is-often-out-of-reach-for-bay-area-residents-who-need-it-most\">Kathy Schaefer\u003c/a>, an insurance advisor who left her longtime job as a FEMA engineer to pursue her civil and environmental engineering PhD from UC Davis. She took an interest in Isleton’s high flood risk. In her December dissertation, Schaefer outlined a program she argued offers more affordable and effective private insurance for Isleton than FEMA’s, and then successfully lobbied the state to fund that program.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I became convinced that FEMA was fundamentally broken,” Schaefer explained. “I went back to school to find out exactly what the problem was and how we could solve it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996617\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996617\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-9-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-9-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-9-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-9-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-9-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-9-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-9-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-9-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kathy Schaefer points to elevated homes, which meet FEMA requirements, in Isleton on April 9, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Schaefer considers FEMA too costly and slow, leading many people to avoid flood insurance altogether. FEMA not only provides flood disaster funds for public infrastructure but, unlike the separate and privatized home insurance market, also sells most individual flood insurance policies. Although FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program is widely available, it only covers around \u003ca href=\"https://www.ppic.org/blog/a-conversation-about-flood-risk-with-insurance-commissioner-ricardo-lara/\">2% of California\u003c/a> properties.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Because Isleton falls into its \u003ca href=\"https://msc.fema.gov/portal/home\">high-risk flood zone\u003c/a>, FEMA mandates that most homeowners with a mortgage buy flood insurance. But Schaefer found that less than a quarter of the some 500 Isleton households comply.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Schaefer fought hard to bring dollars to Isleton, so the entire community could have insurance.[aside postID=news_11938251 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/01/RS62026_GettyImages-1455813510-qut-672x372.jpg']Last fall, the California Department of Water Resources dedicated $200,000 for Isleton’s $2.5 million insurance policy through insurer \u003ca href=\"https://floodflash.co/us/about-floodflash-commercial-flood-insurance/\">FloodFlash\u003c/a> and with underwriting from Munich Re.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since Schaefer wanted this policy to be fast and flexible, she chose an innovative insurance structure dubbed “\u003ca href=\"https://www.icrrl.org/wp-content/blogs.dir/102/files/2022/09/Parametric-Insurance-22.pdf\">parametric\u003c/a>.” Floodwaters trigger an immediate payout with this plan. By contrast, a more traditional “indemnity” insurance requires a lengthy claims adjustment process to determine payments based on damages.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In other words, if sensors on Isleton’s wastewater pump detect water rising above a certain level, the city automatically receives its $2.5 million.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The new geological district still has to decide how to distribute this money. One possibility is for $5,000 to go to each homeowner to cover temporary living expenses, cleaning and repairs. The district is also looking into options to include renters and for excess funds to go toward the city’s infrastructure. The dollars won’t necessarily make anyone whole, but will provide immediate aid.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>FEMA won’t be obsolete in Isleton, however. Schaefer anticipates that if homeowners know the first $5,000 — and maybe one day $10,000 — is covered, they could actually afford traditional flood insurance by raising their deductibles.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996623\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996623\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-28-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1445\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-28-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-28-KQED-800x578.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-28-KQED-1020x737.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-28-KQED-160x116.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-28-KQED-768x555.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-28-KQED-1536x1110.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-28-KQED-1920x1387.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A photo of the 1970s Isleton flood is displayed at the Isleton Museum in Isleton on April 9, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>That would lower their total insurance costs to as low as $800 annually, Schaefer said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Currently, residents pay an estimated $1,100 per year — a significant cost, given the median household income in Isleton is about $60,000. By contrast, the statewide median household income is $96,000.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At first, Schaefer hoped Isleton property owners would greenlight a parcel tax to fund the parametric policy in the long term, but a recent survey revealed a lack of support in the community. A contractor stopped after interviewing just three residents, since they all voiced similar, strong doubts — such as not wanting to prioritize flood insurance in the first place.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Longtime property owner \u003ca href=\"https://rafu.com/2020/05/jean-yokotobi-named-sacramento-county-woman-of-the-year/\">Jean Yokotobi\u003c/a> helped with the pilot early on but became disillusioned. She did not feel confident in Isleton’s ability to navigate an effective program, and she doubts her neighbors can afford it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I can say now [a tax] is not going to pass,” Yokotobi said. “This is a severely depressed, disadvantaged community.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>An alternative to a tax, Schaefer said, could be to obtain additional grant money.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996616\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996616\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-1-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-1-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-1-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-1-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-1-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-1-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-1-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-1-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Downtown Isleton on April 9, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In California, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1992401/homeowners-insurance-market-stretched-even-thinner-as-2-more-companies-leave-california\">many home insurers\u003c/a> have either left entirely, stopped offering new policies or raised premiums. While home and flood insurance are distinct, similar issues around affordability and the climate crisis beg for new solutions. A \u003ca href=\"https://www.montereyherald.com/2025/01/25/rethinking-flood-insurance-monterey-county-considering-new-approach/\">range\u003c/a> of parametric products for different disasters, including \u003ca href=\"https://www.businessinsurance.com/more-buyers-seek-parametric-wildfire-cover/\">wildfires\u003c/a>, are making inroads in \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/hearings/258352?f=c4d97bfcfc43c58ab7d6fabc70dc76a8\">California\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/extreme-weatherinsuranceclimate-changestorms-064635f482e66a5e22dd030f3fa8b7cb\">globally\u003c/a>. In \u003ca href=\"https://blogs.edf.org/markets/2023/11/02/harnessing-community-insurance-lessons-from-nycs-innovative-post-flood-assistance-program/\">New York City\u003c/a>, the country’s first community parametric flood insurance program launched in 2023.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The California Department of Insurance helped spearhead the Isleton pilot. “We need to help our communities be more resilient to climate change,” Commissioner Ricardo Lara said in a \u003ca href=\"https://www.insurance.ca.gov/0400-news/0100-press-releases/release051-2024.cfm\">press release\u003c/a>. “We need to think creatively about how new insurance pilots like this Delta community project can be tested and scaled to help our most vulnerable communities.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The “transparency and cleanliness” of parametric policies also appeals to insurers, according to Alex Kaplan, an executive vice president with the \u003ca href=\"https://www.amwins.com/products/atmospheric-river-flood-insurance-program\">insurance broker Amwins.\u003c/a>[aside postID=science_1984643 hero='https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/10/03242023_kqed_pajaroreturning-1305-qut-1020x678.jpg']Parametric insurance streamlines the claim process and caps liability for insurers, since the payouts are predetermined — an appealing option in the face of heightened natural disasters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Tom Corringham, a \u003ca href=\"https://tcorringham.scrippsprofiles.ucsd.edu/\">climate economist\u003c/a> from Scripps Institution of Oceanography, said he is rooting for Isleton, though infrastructure improvements and insurance can only go so far.“\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We’ve spent a lot of money helping people rebuild after a disaster and, in some cases, it may be better to actually move people to a safer location,” he said. “Underneath all of this is the changing climate, which is intensifying our storms, making us more susceptible to floods.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Walton and Kent lingered after the January insurance meeting, discussing the responsibility to balance Isleton’s books, especially so the insurance plans could continue. In their long view, addressing the city’s flood risk helps ensure its prosperity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They envision a flourishing Main Street with hotels, shops and restaurants drawing more tourists to enjoy Isleton’s undeniable charm.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This tiny spot on the map has so much impact, and that’s why we have to take care of it,” Walton said. “That’s why I’m doing this.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "Isleton is piloting community-based insurance for California, which desperately needs alternatives for the home insurance market.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1746464389,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 44,
"wordCount": 1987
},
"headData": {
"title": "This Tiny California Town Is Flooded, Broke — and Reimagining Climate Insurance | KQED",
"description": "Isleton is piloting community-based insurance for California, which desperately needs alternatives for the home insurance market.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "This Tiny California Town Is Flooded, Broke — and Reimagining Climate Insurance",
"datePublished": "2025-05-05T04:00:12-07:00",
"dateModified": "2025-05-05T09:59:49-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"sticky": false,
"nprByline": "Anna FitzGerald Guth",
"nprStoryId": "kqed-1996611",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"showOnAuthorArchivePages": "No",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/science/1996611/tiny-california-town-flooded-broke-reimagining-climate-insurance",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>On a typical day, Iva Walton, a bar owner and the new mayor of the nearly forgotten city of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11973656/bay-area-creatives-find-unexpected-welcome-in-small-town-delta\">Isleton\u003c/a>, feels like she is trying to save the world.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Even though the present isn’t great right now, I have faith that our city is going to survive,” Walton said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Deep in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta’s \u003ca href=\"https://water.ca.gov/Programs/Bay-Delta\">sprawling web\u003c/a> of rivers and wetlands, deserted storefronts line Isleton’s Main Street. Walton’s business, Mei Wah Beer Room, presents a stark contrast with its fresh red and green paint.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Walton sat across a table from Vice Mayor David Kent at her bar on a Friday morning in January, drinking coffee. They mulled over how to preserve \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11973656/bay-area-creatives-find-unexpected-welcome-in-small-town-delta\">free-spirited\u003c/a> Isleton — known for its crawdad and Spam festivals — and the troubles the \u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/places/isleton-chinese-and-japanese-commercial-districts.htm\">historic\u003c/a> city faces, some of which stem from the nearby Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Isleton has a high risk of flooding but few resources, with a \u003ca href=\"https://www.census.gov/data/developers/data-sets/acs-5year.html\">fifth\u003c/a> of the city’s roughly 800 residents living in poverty. After rainstorms damaged its wastewater treatment facility, Isleton narrowly avoided bankruptcy this year. Walton consulted lawyers, accountants and flood insurance experts to bail it out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re in lightning mode,” Walton said. “There’s been a tendency for things to take a while to come to fruition here — you might call that ‘Delta time.’ But now, the faster, the better, so we can start to build up our city again.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996621\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1996621 size-medium\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-20-KQED-800x1200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"1200\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-20-KQED-800x1200.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-20-KQED-1020x1530.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-20-KQED-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-20-KQED-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-20-KQED-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-20-KQED.jpg 1333w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Iva Walton, Mayor of Isleton, poses for a photo at her bar, Mei Wan Beer Room, in Isleton on April 9, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1984643/reluctant-retreat-one-familys-fight-against-climate-induced-flooding\">As climate change drives up flooding risk\u003c/a>, the safest move for Isleton residents might be to abandon their small city — but short of that drastic option, insurance could provide a safety net. Now, with help from researchers, the state has \u003ca href=\"https://www.insurance.ca.gov/0400-news/0100-press-releases/release051-2024.cfm\">funded\u003c/a> its first community flood program, providing one private insurance policy for all Isleton residents at no cost.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Isleton is piloting community-based insurance for California, which desperately needs alternatives. Wildfires supercharged by climate change have \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12026808/fair-plan-bailout-from-insurance-companies-policyholders-following-la-fires\">cratered the home insurance market\u003c/a> — and many Californians don’t buy flood insurance at all, even as severe storms batter the state and its aging levees.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Isleton hoped to fund the program independently after the pilot ends in 2027 by establishing a parcel tax, but many residents seem unsupportive of paying it. Despite the uncertain future, Isleton’s new leadership said they plan to lock in the insurance policy this month.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The idea of insurance for the city of Isleton is hugely important and our number-one priority,” Kent said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Twenty-six miles of \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/environment/water/2025/04/delta-levees-risk-of-floods-repairs-cost-3-billion/\">underperforming\u003c/a> levees encircle Isleton, which sits on one of the Delta’s \u003ca href=\"https://ca.water.usgs.gov/projects/central-valley/delta-eastside-streams.html\">many islands\u003c/a>. The city ranges from around 6 feet below to 6 feet above sea level. The region is \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/environment/water/2025/04/delta-levees-risk-of-floods-repairs-cost-3-billion/\">accustomed\u003c/a> to flooding, but the June 21, 1972, flood was the most \u003ca href=\"https://californiarevealed.org/do/167c554e-972a-4634-b6ac-407ac3d4d3e1\">infamous\u003c/a> in Isleton.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Isleton resident Pam Bulahan was 9 years old at the time. Her family received word before dawn of a levee breach. They borrowed a flatbed truck and scrambled to load up their nice furniture.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’m watching the water creep across the road,” remembered Bulahan, who today sits on the City Council with Walton and supports the insurance pilot. “It was the eeriest thing I ever saw. I figured the houses were going down, and they did.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996624\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996624\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-30-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-30-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-30-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-30-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-30-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-30-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-30-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-30-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Pam Bulahan poses for a photo outside of her home in Isleton, which flooded in 1972, on April 9, 2025. She was only 9 years old when her family had to evacuate during the 1972 flood after a levee was breached. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>By sunrise, up to 5 feet of floodwater soaked her property. Around 200 buildings remained flooded for \u003ca href=\"https://www.cityofisleton.com/files/51f09522f/City_of_Isleton_General_Plan_2000_Part_I_Introduction_to_the_General_Plan_and_Executive_Su82959.pdf\">months\u003c/a>, forcing the entire community to evacuate. It took Bulahan’s family a couple of years and a loan to repair their house, where she still lives today.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Most recently, \u003ca href=\"https://www.cbsnews.com/sacramento/news/isleton-sewage-overflows-into-surrounding-rivers-are-you-at-risk/\">in 2023\u003c/a>, excessive rainfall cracked sewer pipes and overtopped Isleton’s wastewater treatment ponds, spilling sewage into the neighboring rivers — \u003ca href=\"https://water.ca.gov/water-basics/the-delta\">major sources\u003c/a> of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11886536/bay-area-do-you-know-where-your-water-comes-from-2\">drinking water\u003c/a> for the Bay Area and across the state.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In response to disasters like this, FEMA can \u003ca href=\"https://www.fema.gov/fact-sheet/understanding-individual-assistance-and-public-assistance#:~:text=Public%20Assistance%20can%20reimburse%20for,remaining%2025%20percent%20of%20costs\">reimburse\u003c/a> cities for public infrastructure damage. But as Isleton awaited FEMA’s relief, Walton said the city took out a bridge loan to assist with the repairs — and then struggled to make payments. \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2009-feb-04-me-isleton4-story.html\">Added to a long history of financial mismanagement\u003c/a>\u003cu>,\u003c/u> the city this year had to lay off 12 of its 16 staff members to avoid bankruptcy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Isleton’s challenges are not going away. With climate change, \u003ca href=\"https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-15474-2#Sec7\">models predict\u003c/a> annual flood damages from atmospheric rivers in the western U.S. could increase from $1 billion up to $3 billion by the end of this century.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996625\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1996625 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-38-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-38-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-38-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-38-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-38-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-38-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-38-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-38-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Pam Bulahan points to the San Joaquin River, at the site where a levee breach caused the 1972 flood, on W Brannan Island Road, in Isleton, on April 9, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Together, Walton, Kent and Bulahan form the board of Isleton’s \u003ca href=\"https://marineapps.naturalcapitalproject.org/california/docs/GeologicHazardAbatementDistricts.pdf\">Geologic Hazard Abatement District\u003c/a>, the entity tasked with purchasing the new community-wide insurance policy. With the help of the engineering firm \u003ca href=\"https://www.engeo.com/\">ENGEO\u003c/a>, the district plans to finalize the policy in May.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the district’s planning meeting in January, Walton clunked her water bottle on the table: “Call to order.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The group was joined by \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11938647/it-was-like-a-river-flood-insurance-is-often-out-of-reach-for-bay-area-residents-who-need-it-most\">Kathy Schaefer\u003c/a>, an insurance advisor who left her longtime job as a FEMA engineer to pursue her civil and environmental engineering PhD from UC Davis. She took an interest in Isleton’s high flood risk. In her December dissertation, Schaefer outlined a program she argued offers more affordable and effective private insurance for Isleton than FEMA’s, and then successfully lobbied the state to fund that program.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I became convinced that FEMA was fundamentally broken,” Schaefer explained. “I went back to school to find out exactly what the problem was and how we could solve it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996617\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996617\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-9-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-9-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-9-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-9-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-9-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-9-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-9-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-9-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kathy Schaefer points to elevated homes, which meet FEMA requirements, in Isleton on April 9, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Schaefer considers FEMA too costly and slow, leading many people to avoid flood insurance altogether. FEMA not only provides flood disaster funds for public infrastructure but, unlike the separate and privatized home insurance market, also sells most individual flood insurance policies. Although FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program is widely available, it only covers around \u003ca href=\"https://www.ppic.org/blog/a-conversation-about-flood-risk-with-insurance-commissioner-ricardo-lara/\">2% of California\u003c/a> properties.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Because Isleton falls into its \u003ca href=\"https://msc.fema.gov/portal/home\">high-risk flood zone\u003c/a>, FEMA mandates that most homeowners with a mortgage buy flood insurance. But Schaefer found that less than a quarter of the some 500 Isleton households comply.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Schaefer fought hard to bring dollars to Isleton, so the entire community could have insurance.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "news_11938251",
"hero": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/01/RS62026_GettyImages-1455813510-qut-672x372.jpg",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Last fall, the California Department of Water Resources dedicated $200,000 for Isleton’s $2.5 million insurance policy through insurer \u003ca href=\"https://floodflash.co/us/about-floodflash-commercial-flood-insurance/\">FloodFlash\u003c/a> and with underwriting from Munich Re.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since Schaefer wanted this policy to be fast and flexible, she chose an innovative insurance structure dubbed “\u003ca href=\"https://www.icrrl.org/wp-content/blogs.dir/102/files/2022/09/Parametric-Insurance-22.pdf\">parametric\u003c/a>.” Floodwaters trigger an immediate payout with this plan. By contrast, a more traditional “indemnity” insurance requires a lengthy claims adjustment process to determine payments based on damages.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In other words, if sensors on Isleton’s wastewater pump detect water rising above a certain level, the city automatically receives its $2.5 million.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The new geological district still has to decide how to distribute this money. One possibility is for $5,000 to go to each homeowner to cover temporary living expenses, cleaning and repairs. The district is also looking into options to include renters and for excess funds to go toward the city’s infrastructure. The dollars won’t necessarily make anyone whole, but will provide immediate aid.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>FEMA won’t be obsolete in Isleton, however. Schaefer anticipates that if homeowners know the first $5,000 — and maybe one day $10,000 — is covered, they could actually afford traditional flood insurance by raising their deductibles.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996623\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996623\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-28-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1445\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-28-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-28-KQED-800x578.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-28-KQED-1020x737.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-28-KQED-160x116.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-28-KQED-768x555.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-28-KQED-1536x1110.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-28-KQED-1920x1387.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A photo of the 1970s Isleton flood is displayed at the Isleton Museum in Isleton on April 9, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>That would lower their total insurance costs to as low as $800 annually, Schaefer said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Currently, residents pay an estimated $1,100 per year — a significant cost, given the median household income in Isleton is about $60,000. By contrast, the statewide median household income is $96,000.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At first, Schaefer hoped Isleton property owners would greenlight a parcel tax to fund the parametric policy in the long term, but a recent survey revealed a lack of support in the community. A contractor stopped after interviewing just three residents, since they all voiced similar, strong doubts — such as not wanting to prioritize flood insurance in the first place.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Longtime property owner \u003ca href=\"https://rafu.com/2020/05/jean-yokotobi-named-sacramento-county-woman-of-the-year/\">Jean Yokotobi\u003c/a> helped with the pilot early on but became disillusioned. She did not feel confident in Isleton’s ability to navigate an effective program, and she doubts her neighbors can afford it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I can say now [a tax] is not going to pass,” Yokotobi said. “This is a severely depressed, disadvantaged community.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>An alternative to a tax, Schaefer said, could be to obtain additional grant money.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996616\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996616\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-1-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-1-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-1-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-1-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-1-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-1-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-1-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250409_DELTAINSURANCE_GC-1-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Downtown Isleton on April 9, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In California, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1992401/homeowners-insurance-market-stretched-even-thinner-as-2-more-companies-leave-california\">many home insurers\u003c/a> have either left entirely, stopped offering new policies or raised premiums. While home and flood insurance are distinct, similar issues around affordability and the climate crisis beg for new solutions. A \u003ca href=\"https://www.montereyherald.com/2025/01/25/rethinking-flood-insurance-monterey-county-considering-new-approach/\">range\u003c/a> of parametric products for different disasters, including \u003ca href=\"https://www.businessinsurance.com/more-buyers-seek-parametric-wildfire-cover/\">wildfires\u003c/a>, are making inroads in \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/hearings/258352?f=c4d97bfcfc43c58ab7d6fabc70dc76a8\">California\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/extreme-weatherinsuranceclimate-changestorms-064635f482e66a5e22dd030f3fa8b7cb\">globally\u003c/a>. In \u003ca href=\"https://blogs.edf.org/markets/2023/11/02/harnessing-community-insurance-lessons-from-nycs-innovative-post-flood-assistance-program/\">New York City\u003c/a>, the country’s first community parametric flood insurance program launched in 2023.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The California Department of Insurance helped spearhead the Isleton pilot. “We need to help our communities be more resilient to climate change,” Commissioner Ricardo Lara said in a \u003ca href=\"https://www.insurance.ca.gov/0400-news/0100-press-releases/release051-2024.cfm\">press release\u003c/a>. “We need to think creatively about how new insurance pilots like this Delta community project can be tested and scaled to help our most vulnerable communities.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The “transparency and cleanliness” of parametric policies also appeals to insurers, according to Alex Kaplan, an executive vice president with the \u003ca href=\"https://www.amwins.com/products/atmospheric-river-flood-insurance-program\">insurance broker Amwins.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "science_1984643",
"hero": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/10/03242023_kqed_pajaroreturning-1305-qut-1020x678.jpg",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Parametric insurance streamlines the claim process and caps liability for insurers, since the payouts are predetermined — an appealing option in the face of heightened natural disasters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Tom Corringham, a \u003ca href=\"https://tcorringham.scrippsprofiles.ucsd.edu/\">climate economist\u003c/a> from Scripps Institution of Oceanography, said he is rooting for Isleton, though infrastructure improvements and insurance can only go so far.“\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We’ve spent a lot of money helping people rebuild after a disaster and, in some cases, it may be better to actually move people to a safer location,” he said. “Underneath all of this is the changing climate, which is intensifying our storms, making us more susceptible to floods.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Walton and Kent lingered after the January insurance meeting, discussing the responsibility to balance Isleton’s books, especially so the insurance plans could continue. In their long view, addressing the city’s flood risk helps ensure its prosperity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They envision a flourishing Main Street with hotels, shops and restaurants drawing more tourists to enjoy Isleton’s undeniable charm.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This tiny spot on the map has so much impact, and that’s why we have to take care of it,” Walton said. “That’s why I’m doing this.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/science/1996611/tiny-california-town-flooded-broke-reimagining-climate-insurance",
"authors": [
"byline_science_1996611"
],
"categories": [
"science_31",
"science_40",
"science_4450"
],
"tags": [
"science_5178",
"science_182",
"science_194",
"science_202",
"science_4417",
"science_4414",
"science_3779",
"science_633",
"science_100"
],
"featImg": "science_1996627",
"label": "science"
},
"science_1996664": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "science_1996664",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1996664",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1745435887000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "earth-day-bay-area-epa-workers-rally-constant-threat-termination",
"title": "On Earth Day, Bay Area EPA Workers Rally Due to ‘Constant Threat of Termination’",
"publishDate": 1745435887,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "On Earth Day, Bay Area EPA Workers Rally Due to ‘Constant Threat of Termination’ | KQED",
"labelTerm": {
"site": "science"
},
"content": "\u003cp>Under the shadow of a giant sculpture of a bow-and-arrow along San Francisco’s Embarcadero, more than 100 federal \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12032873/hundreds-rally-sf-support-epa-trump-cuts-climate-funds\">environmental workers and protesters\u003c/a> gathered late Tuesday afternoon to send off an arrow of their own aimed at the Trump administration.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They rallied in defense of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and its mission, warning that the administration’s plans to dismantle it would significantly harm residents of the Bay Area.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many of the protesters work for the EPA’s Pacific Southwest office, a few blocks away, responsible for enforcing federal environmental laws throughout California, Arizona, Hawaii, Nevada, the Pacific Islands and about 150 Native American tribes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I have seen more people in tears in the last 100 days than I’ve seen in 20 years,” said Zac Appleton, an EPA employee and lead steward for Chapter 295 National Treasury Employees Union, one of at least three unions representing workers at the Pacific Southwest office. “It’s an absolutely shocking, abusive display of power that’s creating a very hostile work environment.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Appleton said as many as 60 employees received notifications Monday about looming staffing reductions and a reorganization. Organizers of Tuesday’s rally said in a release that they are concerned that the president will \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12033338/bay-area-air-traffic-control-is-down-to-1-meteorologist-after-trumps-hiring-freeze\">lay off more employees\u003c/a> and “recklessly endanger the health and safety of all Americans.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996671\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1996671 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-18-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-18-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-18-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-18-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-18-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-18-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-18-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-18-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Dozens of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) workers and supporters attend an Earth Day celebration rally to highlight the work they’ve done and to demand that the Trump administration stop dismantling the agency, in Rincon Park, in San Francisco, on April 22, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“These past three months under the Trump administration have been hell,” said Kelly Andreuzzi, an EPA employee who works in the agency’s tribal clean water sector. “Every day we go to work for the good of our country under the constant threat of termination.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gutting the EPA would harm Americans across the country, protesters said, particularly in the Bay Area, where the agency plays a significant role in cleaning up toxic sites, approving climate adaptation projects and reducing pollutants that cause air quality and water pollution issues.[aside postID=news_12036063 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/GavinNewsom1AP-1020x680.jpg']“Once we are gone, the work that we do for the American people is gone, and none of us wants that work to stop,” said Bethany Dreyfus, president of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 1236, which represents many of the at-risk EPA employees in San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Administration officials have targeted diversity, equity and inclusion programs, calling them wasteful spending that needs to be cut to align with orders from President Donald Trump. The agency shuttered its environmental justice offices nationwide, including in San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>EPA press officials said they were unaware of Tuesday’s rally.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin has said that environmental justice has been used as an “excuse to fund left-wing activists instead of actually spending those dollars to directly remediate environmental issues for those communities.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dreyfus said “all the workers who do environmental justice” were “basically given layoff notices letting them know that very soon they will be told that there’s no work for them at the EPA anymore,” after many were put on administrative leave earlier this year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996668\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996668\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-5-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-5-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-5-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-5-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-5-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-5-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-5-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-5-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Dozens of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) workers and supporters attend an Earth Day celebration rally in Rincon Park, in San Francisco on April 22, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In February, EPA officials \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12031373/a-radically-reshaped-epa-takes-its-toll-on-bay-area-environmental-justice-efforts\">terminated $20 billion in climate grants\u003c/a> issued by the Biden administration. The money was meant to finance clean energy and environmental projects through a so-called green bank. Environmental groups filed a lawsuit in response.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Among the billions of dollars in funding terminated by the agency in recent months were 63 grants representing nearly $260 million for projects and organizations across California, according to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1996483/never-before-seen-documents-reveal-epa-canceled-63-grants-across-california\">KQED analysis of a list\u003c/a> compiled by a group of Democratic senators.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Climate groups across the Bay Area have seen federal grants canceled or frozen over the last few months. Some \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1996440/uncertainty-looms-over-bay-area-climate-projects-under-trump\">told KQED they do not know their funding status\u003c/a> because agency staffers have been ordered not to communicate with them. Others are blindly billing for their projects with no assurance that they will be reimbursed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Zeldin also announced 31 actions aimed at assigning more authority to the states and relaxing federal regulations. The administration argued that this would lower the cost of living while supporting the energy and automobile industries.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We are driving a dagger straight into the heart of the climate change religion to drive down cost of living for American families, unleash American energy, bring auto jobs back to the U.S. and more,” Zeldin said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "Over 100 environmental workers and protesters rallied in San Francisco to tell the Trump administration they aren’t giving up on the mission of the Environmental Protection Agency.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1745439237,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 18,
"wordCount": 820
},
"headData": {
"title": "On Earth Day, Bay Area EPA Workers Rally Due to ‘Constant Threat of Termination’ | KQED",
"description": "Over 100 environmental workers and protesters rallied in San Francisco to tell the Trump administration they aren’t giving up on the mission of the Environmental Protection Agency.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "On Earth Day, Bay Area EPA Workers Rally Due to ‘Constant Threat of Termination’",
"datePublished": "2025-04-23T12:18:07-07:00",
"dateModified": "2025-04-23T13:13:57-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-1996664",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/science/1996664/earth-day-bay-area-epa-workers-rally-constant-threat-termination",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Under the shadow of a giant sculpture of a bow-and-arrow along San Francisco’s Embarcadero, more than 100 federal \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12032873/hundreds-rally-sf-support-epa-trump-cuts-climate-funds\">environmental workers and protesters\u003c/a> gathered late Tuesday afternoon to send off an arrow of their own aimed at the Trump administration.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They rallied in defense of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and its mission, warning that the administration’s plans to dismantle it would significantly harm residents of the Bay Area.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many of the protesters work for the EPA’s Pacific Southwest office, a few blocks away, responsible for enforcing federal environmental laws throughout California, Arizona, Hawaii, Nevada, the Pacific Islands and about 150 Native American tribes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I have seen more people in tears in the last 100 days than I’ve seen in 20 years,” said Zac Appleton, an EPA employee and lead steward for Chapter 295 National Treasury Employees Union, one of at least three unions representing workers at the Pacific Southwest office. “It’s an absolutely shocking, abusive display of power that’s creating a very hostile work environment.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Appleton said as many as 60 employees received notifications Monday about looming staffing reductions and a reorganization. Organizers of Tuesday’s rally said in a release that they are concerned that the president will \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12033338/bay-area-air-traffic-control-is-down-to-1-meteorologist-after-trumps-hiring-freeze\">lay off more employees\u003c/a> and “recklessly endanger the health and safety of all Americans.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996671\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1996671 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-18-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-18-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-18-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-18-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-18-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-18-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-18-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-18-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Dozens of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) workers and supporters attend an Earth Day celebration rally to highlight the work they’ve done and to demand that the Trump administration stop dismantling the agency, in Rincon Park, in San Francisco, on April 22, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“These past three months under the Trump administration have been hell,” said Kelly Andreuzzi, an EPA employee who works in the agency’s tribal clean water sector. “Every day we go to work for the good of our country under the constant threat of termination.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gutting the EPA would harm Americans across the country, protesters said, particularly in the Bay Area, where the agency plays a significant role in cleaning up toxic sites, approving climate adaptation projects and reducing pollutants that cause air quality and water pollution issues.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "news_12036063",
"hero": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/GavinNewsom1AP-1020x680.jpg",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“Once we are gone, the work that we do for the American people is gone, and none of us wants that work to stop,” said Bethany Dreyfus, president of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 1236, which represents many of the at-risk EPA employees in San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Administration officials have targeted diversity, equity and inclusion programs, calling them wasteful spending that needs to be cut to align with orders from President Donald Trump. The agency shuttered its environmental justice offices nationwide, including in San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>EPA press officials said they were unaware of Tuesday’s rally.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin has said that environmental justice has been used as an “excuse to fund left-wing activists instead of actually spending those dollars to directly remediate environmental issues for those communities.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dreyfus said “all the workers who do environmental justice” were “basically given layoff notices letting them know that very soon they will be told that there’s no work for them at the EPA anymore,” after many were put on administrative leave earlier this year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996668\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996668\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-5-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-5-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-5-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-5-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-5-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-5-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-5-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-5-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Dozens of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) workers and supporters attend an Earth Day celebration rally in Rincon Park, in San Francisco on April 22, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In February, EPA officials \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12031373/a-radically-reshaped-epa-takes-its-toll-on-bay-area-environmental-justice-efforts\">terminated $20 billion in climate grants\u003c/a> issued by the Biden administration. The money was meant to finance clean energy and environmental projects through a so-called green bank. Environmental groups filed a lawsuit in response.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Among the billions of dollars in funding terminated by the agency in recent months were 63 grants representing nearly $260 million for projects and organizations across California, according to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1996483/never-before-seen-documents-reveal-epa-canceled-63-grants-across-california\">KQED analysis of a list\u003c/a> compiled by a group of Democratic senators.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Climate groups across the Bay Area have seen federal grants canceled or frozen over the last few months. Some \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1996440/uncertainty-looms-over-bay-area-climate-projects-under-trump\">told KQED they do not know their funding status\u003c/a> because agency staffers have been ordered not to communicate with them. Others are blindly billing for their projects with no assurance that they will be reimbursed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Zeldin also announced 31 actions aimed at assigning more authority to the states and relaxing federal regulations. The administration argued that this would lower the cost of living while supporting the energy and automobile industries.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We are driving a dagger straight into the heart of the climate change religion to drive down cost of living for American families, unleash American energy, bring auto jobs back to the U.S. and more,” Zeldin said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/science/1996664/earth-day-bay-area-epa-workers-rally-constant-threat-termination",
"authors": [
"11746"
],
"categories": [
"science_31",
"science_40",
"science_4450"
],
"tags": [
"science_856",
"science_182",
"science_194",
"science_3253",
"science_3221",
"science_1537",
"science_4414",
"science_5375",
"science_5183"
],
"featImg": "science_1996670",
"label": "science"
},
"science_1996589": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "science_1996589",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1996589",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1744122609000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "can-nasa-help-predict-wildflower-super-blooms",
"title": "Can NASA Help Predict Wildflower Super Blooms?",
"publishDate": 1744122609,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "Can NASA Help Predict Wildflower Super Blooms? | KQED",
"labelTerm": {
"site": "science"
},
"content": "\u003cp>\u003cem>Updated 9:09 a.m. Tuesday\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What if scientists could accurately predict when and where a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1996323/where-to-see-wildflowers-near-you-in-the-bay-area\">wildflower super bloom\u003c/a> will occur?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>NASA researchers are working to do just that — with the help of a fancy device they call an imaging spectrometer. The advanced camera maps and tracks blooms across landscapes in California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These scientists analyzed native California wildflowers for a \u003ca href=\"https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.70127\">recent study\u003c/a> and found that both space-based and airborne sensors can monitor the seasonal cycles of blooming plants by detecting one of their signature traits: colors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This camera has the capability to let us see what we don’t see as humans with our vision,” said Yoseline Angel, a scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center and lead researcher of the study. “Our vision is limited.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This kind of data could become a powerful tool for farmers, ecologists and conservationists who rely on flowering plants for food production and ecosystem health. It could even help wildflower enthusiasts track local blooms with scientific precision.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996592\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1747px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996592\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/KingsRiver-2025-03-26-Landsat-89.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1747\" height=\"940\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/KingsRiver-2025-03-26-Landsat-89.jpg 1747w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/KingsRiver-2025-03-26-Landsat-89-800x430.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/KingsRiver-2025-03-26-Landsat-89-1020x549.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/KingsRiver-2025-03-26-Landsat-89-160x86.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/KingsRiver-2025-03-26-Landsat-89-768x413.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/KingsRiver-2025-03-26-Landsat-89-1536x826.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1747px) 100vw, 1747px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Overview of yellow and orange wildflower blooms around Pine Flat Lake hillsides and along Kings River, California, on March 26, 2025. \u003ccite>(Satellite Image Landsat 8&9/OLI, NASA Worldview)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>To collect the data, the research team used a state-of-the-art \u003ca href=\"https://avirisng.jpl.nasa.gov/\">spectrometer\u003c/a> developed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena. Mounted on an aircraft, the sensor flew over \u003ca href=\"https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/california-field-campaign-helping-scientists-protect-diverse-ecosystems/\">two California nature reserves between February and June 2022\u003c/a> and captured hundreds of wavelengths of light — far beyond what the human eye can see — allowing researchers to monitor the wildflower bloom and its fade throughout the season.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the same time, scientists on the ground with handheld devices measured how the different flowers reflect light, building a library for each flower type.[aside postID=science_1996323 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/GettyImages-1141101456-1020x680.jpg']By comparing the spectrometer’s data with ground measurements, researchers were able to determine where flowers were blooming in the aerial images and create maps that show blooming patterns over time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Researchers had never before used the instrument to monitor blooming vegetation for an entire growing season, collecting images each week, \u003ca href=\"https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasa-takes-to-the-air-to-study-wildflowers/\">said David Schimel, a research scientist with NASA JPL\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Flowers have a bigger impact on the landscape’s appearance in aerial images than the scientists expected. The team was able to differentiate between flowers, leaves and background cover with 97% accuracy and determine different flowering stages with 80% certainty.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Spectral imaging could be a game-changer for tracking blooms on a regional or even global scale — without needing to hike through every field.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A challenge was differentiating flower colors from leaves, soil and shadows. “Compared to other parts of a plant, flowers can be pretty ephemeral,” Angel said. “They may last only a few weeks.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996594\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996594\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/nasa-takes-to-the-air-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"530\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/nasa-takes-to-the-air-2.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/nasa-takes-to-the-air-2-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/nasa-takes-to-the-air-2-768x509.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">NASA’s AVIRIS sensors have been used to study wildfires, World Trade Center wreckage, and critical minerals, among numerous airborne missions over the years. AVIRIS-3 is seen here on a field campaign in Panama, where it helped analyze vegetation in many wavelengths of light not visible to human eyes. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of NASA/Shawn Serbin)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Flowering plants, from crops to desert shrubs, synchronize their bloom cycles with seasonal changes in temperature, \u003ca href=\"https://science.nasa.gov/earth/water-on-earth/nasa-study-crops-forests-responding-to-changing-rainfall-patterns/\">rainfall\u003c/a> and daylight. However, these patterns are shifting due to climate change, and scientists are eager to track how rising temperatures impact plant life.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Flowers produce pigments that absorb and reflect light in unique ways. Spectrometers can detect these light signatures and identify plants based on their distinct \u003ca href=\"https://avirisng.jpl.nasa.gov/science.html\">chemical “fingerprints.”\u003c/a> This technology has been used for \u003ca href=\"https://microdevices.jpl.nasa.gov/capabilities/imaging-spectroscopy/\">decades\u003c/a> to analyze planetary surfaces — including Earth — and is now proving valuable for monitoring plant life from above.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“These sensors are helping us to see what pollinators see,” Angel said, adding that pollinators like bees, birds or butterflies see through different spectral ranges than humans.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The implications extend far beyond wildflowers. Around 90% of land plants are flowering species, many of which are crucial to agriculture.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Understanding their bloom patterns could help farmers plan harvests and track crop development, assist conservationists in managing habitats and support climate scientists tracking changes over time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996595\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1320px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996595\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/1-Wildflower-Field-work-.width-1320.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1320\" height=\"742\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/1-Wildflower-Field-work-.width-1320.jpg 1320w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/1-Wildflower-Field-work-.width-1320-800x450.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/1-Wildflower-Field-work-.width-1320-1020x573.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/1-Wildflower-Field-work-.width-1320-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/1-Wildflower-Field-work-.width-1320-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1320px) 100vw, 1320px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Researcher Ann Raiho measures sunlight interacting with yellow Coreopsis gigantea flowers during field work in the Jack and Laura Dangermond Preserve in California’s Santa Barbara County in 2022. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of NASA/Yoseline Angel)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Angel and her team are now analyzing data from a \u003ca href=\"https://earth.jpl.nasa.gov/emit/\">spectrometer\u003c/a> aboard the International Space Station, originally designed to map Earth’s desert minerals. By combining those images with environmental conditions, scientists hope to predict when and where massive super blooms — those rare, breathtaking explosions of desert flowers — will occur.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Beyond scientific research, the project has sparked excitement among citizen scientists. Angel, who follows wildflower updates through social media, believes public enthusiasm can complement NASA’s data collection.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“People can help us to observe and report flowers. If they see something like a bloom or super bloom happening, they can always help us to try to enhance our models and [contribute to] science,” Angel said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Apps like \u003ca href=\"https://observer.globe.gov/about/get-the-app\">GLOBE\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.inaturalist.org/\">iNaturalist\u003c/a> let people be part of the science — by snapping photos and logging what plants or flowers they see, users help scientists study changes in nature and the environment over time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "Scientists at NASA are mapping flower blooms to better understand our ever-changing planet. ",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1744302499,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 23,
"wordCount": 900
},
"headData": {
"title": "Can NASA Help Predict Wildflower Super Blooms? | KQED",
"description": "Scientists at NASA are mapping flower blooms to better understand our ever-changing planet. ",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "Can NASA Help Predict Wildflower Super Blooms?",
"datePublished": "2025-04-08T07:30:09-07:00",
"dateModified": "2025-04-10T09:28:19-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-1996589",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/science/1996589/can-nasa-help-predict-wildflower-super-blooms",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cem>Updated 9:09 a.m. Tuesday\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What if scientists could accurately predict when and where a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1996323/where-to-see-wildflowers-near-you-in-the-bay-area\">wildflower super bloom\u003c/a> will occur?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>NASA researchers are working to do just that — with the help of a fancy device they call an imaging spectrometer. The advanced camera maps and tracks blooms across landscapes in California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These scientists analyzed native California wildflowers for a \u003ca href=\"https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.70127\">recent study\u003c/a> and found that both space-based and airborne sensors can monitor the seasonal cycles of blooming plants by detecting one of their signature traits: colors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This camera has the capability to let us see what we don’t see as humans with our vision,” said Yoseline Angel, a scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center and lead researcher of the study. “Our vision is limited.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This kind of data could become a powerful tool for farmers, ecologists and conservationists who rely on flowering plants for food production and ecosystem health. It could even help wildflower enthusiasts track local blooms with scientific precision.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996592\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1747px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996592\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/KingsRiver-2025-03-26-Landsat-89.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1747\" height=\"940\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/KingsRiver-2025-03-26-Landsat-89.jpg 1747w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/KingsRiver-2025-03-26-Landsat-89-800x430.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/KingsRiver-2025-03-26-Landsat-89-1020x549.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/KingsRiver-2025-03-26-Landsat-89-160x86.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/KingsRiver-2025-03-26-Landsat-89-768x413.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/KingsRiver-2025-03-26-Landsat-89-1536x826.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1747px) 100vw, 1747px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Overview of yellow and orange wildflower blooms around Pine Flat Lake hillsides and along Kings River, California, on March 26, 2025. \u003ccite>(Satellite Image Landsat 8&9/OLI, NASA Worldview)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>To collect the data, the research team used a state-of-the-art \u003ca href=\"https://avirisng.jpl.nasa.gov/\">spectrometer\u003c/a> developed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena. Mounted on an aircraft, the sensor flew over \u003ca href=\"https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/california-field-campaign-helping-scientists-protect-diverse-ecosystems/\">two California nature reserves between February and June 2022\u003c/a> and captured hundreds of wavelengths of light — far beyond what the human eye can see — allowing researchers to monitor the wildflower bloom and its fade throughout the season.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the same time, scientists on the ground with handheld devices measured how the different flowers reflect light, building a library for each flower type.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "science_1996323",
"hero": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/GettyImages-1141101456-1020x680.jpg",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>By comparing the spectrometer’s data with ground measurements, researchers were able to determine where flowers were blooming in the aerial images and create maps that show blooming patterns over time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Researchers had never before used the instrument to monitor blooming vegetation for an entire growing season, collecting images each week, \u003ca href=\"https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasa-takes-to-the-air-to-study-wildflowers/\">said David Schimel, a research scientist with NASA JPL\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Flowers have a bigger impact on the landscape’s appearance in aerial images than the scientists expected. The team was able to differentiate between flowers, leaves and background cover with 97% accuracy and determine different flowering stages with 80% certainty.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Spectral imaging could be a game-changer for tracking blooms on a regional or even global scale — without needing to hike through every field.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A challenge was differentiating flower colors from leaves, soil and shadows. “Compared to other parts of a plant, flowers can be pretty ephemeral,” Angel said. “They may last only a few weeks.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996594\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996594\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/nasa-takes-to-the-air-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"530\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/nasa-takes-to-the-air-2.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/nasa-takes-to-the-air-2-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/nasa-takes-to-the-air-2-768x509.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">NASA’s AVIRIS sensors have been used to study wildfires, World Trade Center wreckage, and critical minerals, among numerous airborne missions over the years. AVIRIS-3 is seen here on a field campaign in Panama, where it helped analyze vegetation in many wavelengths of light not visible to human eyes. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of NASA/Shawn Serbin)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Flowering plants, from crops to desert shrubs, synchronize their bloom cycles with seasonal changes in temperature, \u003ca href=\"https://science.nasa.gov/earth/water-on-earth/nasa-study-crops-forests-responding-to-changing-rainfall-patterns/\">rainfall\u003c/a> and daylight. However, these patterns are shifting due to climate change, and scientists are eager to track how rising temperatures impact plant life.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Flowers produce pigments that absorb and reflect light in unique ways. Spectrometers can detect these light signatures and identify plants based on their distinct \u003ca href=\"https://avirisng.jpl.nasa.gov/science.html\">chemical “fingerprints.”\u003c/a> This technology has been used for \u003ca href=\"https://microdevices.jpl.nasa.gov/capabilities/imaging-spectroscopy/\">decades\u003c/a> to analyze planetary surfaces — including Earth — and is now proving valuable for monitoring plant life from above.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“These sensors are helping us to see what pollinators see,” Angel said, adding that pollinators like bees, birds or butterflies see through different spectral ranges than humans.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The implications extend far beyond wildflowers. Around 90% of land plants are flowering species, many of which are crucial to agriculture.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Understanding their bloom patterns could help farmers plan harvests and track crop development, assist conservationists in managing habitats and support climate scientists tracking changes over time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996595\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1320px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996595\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/1-Wildflower-Field-work-.width-1320.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1320\" height=\"742\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/1-Wildflower-Field-work-.width-1320.jpg 1320w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/1-Wildflower-Field-work-.width-1320-800x450.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/1-Wildflower-Field-work-.width-1320-1020x573.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/1-Wildflower-Field-work-.width-1320-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/1-Wildflower-Field-work-.width-1320-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1320px) 100vw, 1320px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Researcher Ann Raiho measures sunlight interacting with yellow Coreopsis gigantea flowers during field work in the Jack and Laura Dangermond Preserve in California’s Santa Barbara County in 2022. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of NASA/Yoseline Angel)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Angel and her team are now analyzing data from a \u003ca href=\"https://earth.jpl.nasa.gov/emit/\">spectrometer\u003c/a> aboard the International Space Station, originally designed to map Earth’s desert minerals. By combining those images with environmental conditions, scientists hope to predict when and where massive super blooms — those rare, breathtaking explosions of desert flowers — will occur.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Beyond scientific research, the project has sparked excitement among citizen scientists. Angel, who follows wildflower updates through social media, believes public enthusiasm can complement NASA’s data collection.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“People can help us to observe and report flowers. If they see something like a bloom or super bloom happening, they can always help us to try to enhance our models and [contribute to] science,” Angel said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Apps like \u003ca href=\"https://observer.globe.gov/about/get-the-app\">GLOBE\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.inaturalist.org/\">iNaturalist\u003c/a> let people be part of the science — by snapping photos and logging what plants or flowers they see, users help scientists study changes in nature and the environment over time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/science/1996589/can-nasa-help-predict-wildflower-super-blooms",
"authors": [
"11631"
],
"categories": [
"science_31",
"science_35",
"science_40",
"science_4450",
"science_3947"
],
"tags": [
"science_5178",
"science_2455",
"science_182",
"science_194",
"science_4414",
"science_5175",
"science_3338",
"science_2371"
],
"featImg": "science_1996591",
"label": "science"
},
"science_1996303": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "science_1996303",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1996303",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1742209209000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "lessons-from-elsewhere-managing-san-franciscos-stormwater-sewage-mess",
"title": "Lessons From Elsewhere: Managing San Francisco's Stormwater and Sewage Mess",
"publishDate": 1742209209,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "Lessons From Elsewhere: Managing San Francisco’s Stormwater and Sewage Mess | KQED",
"labelTerm": {
"site": "science"
},
"content": "\u003cp>San Francisco shares one nasty thing in common with New York, Chicago and Milwaukee. When big storms soak each city, \u003ca href=\"http://kqed.org/science/1996145/sf-dumps-millions-of-gallons-of-sewage-during-big-storms-surfers-say-that-needs-to-stop\">millions of gallons of stormwater and raw sewage pour\u003c/a> into nearby waterways.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s a legacy of how the cities were built over a century ago. Sewage and stormwater flow through the same pipes, and during large storms, the combined systems overflow, spilling into rivers, lakes and oceans. The federal government has mandated that the four cities clean up the water pollution.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>San Francisco has spent billions of dollars to improve its system, but it has a long way to go, especially with the growing intensity of storms due to human-caused climate change. Water experts suggest the city can learn from the successes of other cities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>New York has invested in green infrastructure, turning its concrete jungle into a sponge to soak up water. Chicago and Milwaukee both dug massive tunnels deep in the earth to capture water flows while also leading the way with adaptation strategies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>San Francisco has upgraded parts of the combined sewer and stormwater system, installed collection boxes across the city and created hundreds of small green infrastructure projects, all to capture hundreds of millions of gallons of water annually, reducing overflows by 80% since the 1970s.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996294\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996294\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250228-WaterCitiesSF-04-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250228-WaterCitiesSF-04-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250228-WaterCitiesSF-04-BL-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250228-WaterCitiesSF-04-BL-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250228-WaterCitiesSF-04-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250228-WaterCitiesSF-04-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250228-WaterCitiesSF-04-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250228-WaterCitiesSF-04-BL-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A greener, safer corridor: Trees line the center median of Cesar Chavez Street in San Francisco on Feb. 28, 2025, as part of a streetscape project that transformed the area with widened sidewalks, stormwater planters and redesigned intersections to enhance pedestrian safety and urban greenery. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Most of the year, the system works well, treating all of the city’s wastewater with little issue. However, during the rainy season, the city discharges nearly \u003ca href=\"https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2024-05/3-24-cv-02594-city-county-san-francisco-complaint-2024-05-01.pdf\">2 billion gallons of sewage water\u003c/a> into the ocean and San Francisco Bay, according to the Federal Environmental Protection Agency.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1996145/sf-dumps-millions-of-gallons-of-sewage-during-big-storms-surfers-say-that-needs-to-stop\">Surfers and environmentalists\u003c/a> are pressing the city to reduce pollution further and say they avoid the ocean on rainy days because swimming in the murky water can lead to ear and skin infections.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last winter, sewers spilled into the bay 15 times, according to the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission. In an email to KQED, city officials wrote that all its fixes “alone are not a solution for reducing the impact of the increasingly intense storms that climate change brings.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996293\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1996293 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250228-WaterCitiesSF-37-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250228-WaterCitiesSF-37-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250228-WaterCitiesSF-37-BL-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250228-WaterCitiesSF-37-BL-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250228-WaterCitiesSF-37-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250228-WaterCitiesSF-37-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250228-WaterCitiesSF-37-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250228-WaterCitiesSF-37-BL-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Revitalizing a historic alley: Trees line Spofford Alley in San Francisco’s Chinatown on Feb. 28, 2025, as part of the Chinatown Spofford Living Alley project. The project includes flow-through planters that manage stormwater, pedestrian lighting for safety and bench seating for visitors to rest and take in the area. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The dispute over water pollution in San Francisco reached the Supreme Court after the EPA alleged the city repeatedly violated the Clean Water Act.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>San Francisco sued in response, claiming the regulations were too vague. The conservative-leaning court \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12029553/supreme-court-sides-with-san-francisco-against-epa-sewage-lawsuit\">largely sided with the city\u003c/a> in an opinion released in early March.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There’s no simple or cheap solution for San Francisco’s sewage woes, and no city has implemented a perfect fix, but Chicago, Milwaukee and New York’s efforts to soak up the rain provide a potential model for how to tackle the problem.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Chicago — ‘Waterways are cleaner than ever’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Chicago has a long history of water quality issues. In the late 1800s, the Chicago River was essentially the city’s latrine and flowed directly into Lake Michigan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We soon started to see massive outbreaks of typhoid and other waterborne diseases,” said Karl Rockne, an environmental engineering professor at the University of Illinois Chicago. “We recognized that we had to do something here in Chicago.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996291\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996291\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/23-0201_daily_historical_1904_0922_2958_000.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1258\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/23-0201_daily_historical_1904_0922_2958_000.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/23-0201_daily_historical_1904_0922_2958_000-800x503.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/23-0201_daily_historical_1904_0922_2958_000-1020x642.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/23-0201_daily_historical_1904_0922_2958_000-160x101.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/23-0201_daily_historical_1904_0922_2958_000-768x483.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/23-0201_daily_historical_1904_0922_2958_000-1536x966.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/23-0201_daily_historical_1904_0922_2958_000-1920x1208.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Grit and progress: Laborers pause for a photograph on Sept. 22, 1904, during construction of the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal extension. Covered in drilling mud, they stand beside compressed air rock drills used to bore holes for explosives. Built from 1903 to 1907, the four-mile extension connected Lockport to Joliet, enabling full navigation from Lake Michigan to the Des Plaines River and replacing the aging I&M Canal. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>To prevent sewage from reaching Lake Michigan, the city \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=kSsrrKMwPzQ&feature=youtu.be\">reversed the river’s flow\u003c/a> on \u003ca href=\"https://mwrd.org/news/chicago-rivers-reversal-1900-was-engineering-triumph-transformed-our-city-chicago-sun-times\">Jan. 2, 1900\u003c/a>. The city later built an elaborate maze of sewers and treatment plants and by 1930, according to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.chipublib.org/fa-chicago-sewers-collection/#:~:text=Later%2C%20the%20establishment%20of%20the,most%20extensive%20in%20the%20world.\">Sewers Collection\u003c/a> at the Chicago Library, it had the most extensive system in the world.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But that was not enough, and in the 1970s, the Windy City still discharged sewage into waterways about 100 times a year. The federal government required Chicago to clean up its act.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since then, Chicago has reduced its smelly water issues by digging massive tunnels up to 300 feet below the Chicago River and others that flow around the city.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID=news_12029553 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/08/cleaner-1180x787.jpg']\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The city also captures runoff and sewage in three above-ground reservoirs, storing the water until it can be treated and released. The current system can store 11 billion gallons of water and will have the capacity to hold 17.5 billion gallons by 2029.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It is working, but there is always going to be some storm that will create problems,” said Marcelo Garcia, professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. “When the tunnels and reservoirs fill up, and you get another storm that takes you basically back to ground zero.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Today, the city discharges about 10 times annually, about the same as San Francisco. The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago hopes discharges will decrease when the new reservoir is finished.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The pollution load has drastically decreased,” said Kevin Fitzpatrick, assistant director of engineering for Chicago’s reclamation district. But storms are testing the system, he added, which was designed before the current effects of climate change.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996295\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996295\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/481300323_938424718481344_7313946279226847448_n-e1741972639259.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1254\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Building Chicago’s infrastructure: Workers construct the Calumet Sag Sewer near 127th Street and the Little Calumet River on July 20, 1921. This vital project helped expand the city’s sewer system, supporting flood control and wastewater management in the growing region. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“The waterways are cleaner than ever, but we still have flooding,” Fitzpatrick said. “So we realize [the tunnels and reservoirs] aren’t the only solution.” The agency also manages porous parking lots and hundreds of other projects that allow rainwater to infiltrate into the ground.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What can San Francisco learn from Chicago regarding reducing dirty flows? Garcia said tunnels are an “obvious thing to do,” but it is important to remember that Chicago has many times the open space and can store 16 times more water than San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The SFPUC said digging tunnels would significantly raise water bills for San Franciscans. In a fact sheet, the agency wrote the 7-by-7 mile-wide city would need 13 miles of tunnels 24 feet in diameter to capture overflows just on the city’s bayside each year but noted it still wouldn’t prevent discharges “in the biggest storms.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>New York — ‘An all-the-above strategy’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>In 2005, the federal government cited New York City for violating the Clean Water Act because its sewer systems \u003ca href=\"https://dec.ny.gov/environmental-protection/water/cso/nyc-cso\">spewed contaminated water\u003c/a> into Flushing Bay, Jamaica Bay and tributaries to the East River, Long Island Sound and Outer Harbor. Around 60% of New York City’s sewers are part of a combined system.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Unlike Chicago, which sits on massive amounts of limestone that it was able to dig into, New York City has limited subterranean space, extensive underground infrastructure and a high water table.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996288\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996288\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250307_Water-Cities_JB_254.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1331\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250307_Water-Cities_JB_254.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250307_Water-Cities_JB_254-800x532.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250307_Water-Cities_JB_254-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250307_Water-Cities_JB_254-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250307_Water-Cities_JB_254-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250307_Water-Cities_JB_254-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250307_Water-Cities_JB_254-1920x1278.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A living landscape: The green roof at Greenpoint Public Library in Brooklyn, New York, on March 7, 2025. Completed in 2020 as part of the library’s Environmental Education Center, the space features soil beds for horticultural programs, solar panels for renewable energy and permeable paving to manage rainwater sustainably. \u003ccite>(Jack Beal for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The Big Apple has instead invested in more than 13,000 rain gardens, green roofs, permeable pavement and other infrastructure projects.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“New York City is not the first city to use green infrastructure, but it is the first city to broadly implement it specifically for this purpose of combined sewer overflow management,” said Bernice Rosenzweig\u003cstrong>, \u003c/strong>professor of environmental science at Sarah Lawrence College.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While New York still grapples with reducing its discharges, Rosenzweig thinks San Francisco can learn a lot from it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996289\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996289\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/NYC_Map-e1741973347558.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1355\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mapping sustainability: The Green Infrastructure Program map, created by New York City’s Department of Environmental Protection, offers an interactive tool for users to explore green infrastructure projects across the city’s five boroughs, highlighting efforts to manage stormwater and promote environmental resilience. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of New York City Department of Environmental Protection)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“New York City and San Francisco have a lot of similarities,” Rosenzweig said — even though New York’s population is more than 10 times bigger. “They’re some of the densest communities in the United States, and they both rely on subterranean infrastructure.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Building green infrastructure has the effect of punching “holes” in the hard concrete landscape to “create sponges” so rainwater can be absorbed into the ground, said Jennifer Cherrier, an earth and environmental sciences professor at City University of New York.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The city isn’t relying solely on green infrastructure; it also has plans that include holding tanks, sewer improvements and marsh restoration.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996290\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1996290 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250307_Water-Cities_JB_121_duo.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"659\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250307_Water-Cities_JB_121_duo.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250307_Water-Cities_JB_121_duo-800x264.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250307_Water-Cities_JB_121_duo-1020x336.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250307_Water-Cities_JB_121_duo-160x53.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250307_Water-Cities_JB_121_duo-768x253.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250307_Water-Cities_JB_121_duo-1536x506.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250307_Water-Cities_JB_121_duo-1920x633.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Nature’s solutions: (Left) A rain garden at Saint Mary’s Park in the Bronx, New York, in March 2025, captures runoff from the recreation center’s roof, gradually releasing it to irrigate the garden while easing the strain on the city’s drainage system. The curb cuts direct water from the pavement into the ground. (Right) Snowdrops bloom in a rain garden beside permeable pavers at the Gil Hodges Community Garden in Brooklyn, New York, in March 2025. This rain garden, paired with permeable pavers, captures and reuses over 285,000 gallons of rainwater annually, promoting sustainable stormwater management. \u003ccite>(Jack Beal for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Our waters are getting a lot cleaner,” Cherrier said. “We have great white shark nursery grounds showing up again. We have had whales underneath the Brooklyn Bridge.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Still, the advocacy group Save the Sound estimates that more than 21 billion gallons of raw sewage enter New York City’s coastal waters annually, more than 10 times that of San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We really do need an all-of-the-above strategy, and the strategies that are implemented are going to vary across the city,” Rosenzweig said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Milwaukee — ‘Every drop of water counts’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>At the height of a water quality crisis in the 1970s, Milwaukee poured millions of gallons of sewage and stormwater into Lake Michigan an average of 60 times a year. Kevin Shafer, executive director of the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District, described the rivers in the region “as big, open sewers.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, over time, the city brought down the number of discharges; last year, it had only one.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The goal was zero, and we had one,” Shafer said. “That’s not good enough.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996284\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1996284 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/23-0515_0005.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1121\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/23-0515_0005.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/23-0515_0005-800x448.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/23-0515_0005-1020x572.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/23-0515_0005-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/23-0515_0005-768x430.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/23-0515_0005-1536x861.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/23-0515_0005-1920x1076.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Lessons from Chicago’s infrastructure: The McCook Reservoir, stages 1 and 2, part of Chicago’s Tunnel and Reservoir Plan (TARP), photographed on May 15, 2023, during excavation. This critical infrastructure project is designed to prevent pollution and manage stormwater, helping to protect the city from flooding and improve water quality. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Dan Wendt/MWRDGC)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Milwaukee applied the strategies pioneered in Chicago, digging miles of deep tunnels. It’s also developed more green infrastructure, like New York, transforming more than 5 square miles of land into a watershed and deploying rain barrels and green roofs to capture billions of gallons of water.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Tunnels are the backbone of everything we do,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The agency also sends alerts for residents to reduce water use during storms to “preserve the tunnels for the big events by cutting off the water at the surface.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996321\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1996321 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250228-WaterCitiesSF-19-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250228-WaterCitiesSF-19-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250228-WaterCitiesSF-19-BL_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250228-WaterCitiesSF-19-BL_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250228-WaterCitiesSF-19-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250228-WaterCitiesSF-19-BL_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250228-WaterCitiesSF-19-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250228-WaterCitiesSF-19-BL_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A step toward sustainability: A green infrastructure installation at San Francisco State University on Feb. 28, 2025, outside the science building. This basin captures and infiltrates stormwater through a spillway, channeling runoff into a swale that directs water to an outlet drain, enhancing the campus’s resilience to heavy rainfall. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“When we started it, we were laughed at,” Shafer said. “Now we have people actively signing up.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The SFPUC said San Francisco’s water use is low compared to other cities, and the city has enough capacity to not issue household alerts. “We’re more worried about the rain coming down rather than people flushing their toilets; we can generally handle that,” said Joel Prather, the SFPUC’s assistant general manager for wastewater enterprise.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While Shafer understands San Francisco is geographically different, he thinks the city could learn from Milwaukee’s success at reducing pollution in Lake Michigan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think you have to take this approach that every drop of water counts, no matter where it hits the surface,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "San Francisco’s aging sewer system overflows during storms, polluting the ocean and bay. Other big cities have tackled the issue with tunnels, green development and holistic water management. ",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1743175630,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 47,
"wordCount": 2264
},
"headData": {
"title": "Lessons From Elsewhere: Managing San Francisco's Stormwater and Sewage Mess | KQED",
"description": "San Francisco’s aging sewer system overflows during storms, polluting the ocean and bay. Other big cities have tackled the issue with tunnels, green development and holistic water management. ",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "Lessons From Elsewhere: Managing San Francisco's Stormwater and Sewage Mess",
"datePublished": "2025-03-17T04:00:09-07:00",
"dateModified": "2025-03-28T08:27:10-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-1996303",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/science/1996303/lessons-from-elsewhere-managing-san-franciscos-stormwater-sewage-mess",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>San Francisco shares one nasty thing in common with New York, Chicago and Milwaukee. When big storms soak each city, \u003ca href=\"http://kqed.org/science/1996145/sf-dumps-millions-of-gallons-of-sewage-during-big-storms-surfers-say-that-needs-to-stop\">millions of gallons of stormwater and raw sewage pour\u003c/a> into nearby waterways.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s a legacy of how the cities were built over a century ago. Sewage and stormwater flow through the same pipes, and during large storms, the combined systems overflow, spilling into rivers, lakes and oceans. The federal government has mandated that the four cities clean up the water pollution.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>San Francisco has spent billions of dollars to improve its system, but it has a long way to go, especially with the growing intensity of storms due to human-caused climate change. Water experts suggest the city can learn from the successes of other cities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>New York has invested in green infrastructure, turning its concrete jungle into a sponge to soak up water. Chicago and Milwaukee both dug massive tunnels deep in the earth to capture water flows while also leading the way with adaptation strategies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>San Francisco has upgraded parts of the combined sewer and stormwater system, installed collection boxes across the city and created hundreds of small green infrastructure projects, all to capture hundreds of millions of gallons of water annually, reducing overflows by 80% since the 1970s.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996294\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996294\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250228-WaterCitiesSF-04-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250228-WaterCitiesSF-04-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250228-WaterCitiesSF-04-BL-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250228-WaterCitiesSF-04-BL-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250228-WaterCitiesSF-04-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250228-WaterCitiesSF-04-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250228-WaterCitiesSF-04-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250228-WaterCitiesSF-04-BL-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A greener, safer corridor: Trees line the center median of Cesar Chavez Street in San Francisco on Feb. 28, 2025, as part of a streetscape project that transformed the area with widened sidewalks, stormwater planters and redesigned intersections to enhance pedestrian safety and urban greenery. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Most of the year, the system works well, treating all of the city’s wastewater with little issue. However, during the rainy season, the city discharges nearly \u003ca href=\"https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2024-05/3-24-cv-02594-city-county-san-francisco-complaint-2024-05-01.pdf\">2 billion gallons of sewage water\u003c/a> into the ocean and San Francisco Bay, according to the Federal Environmental Protection Agency.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1996145/sf-dumps-millions-of-gallons-of-sewage-during-big-storms-surfers-say-that-needs-to-stop\">Surfers and environmentalists\u003c/a> are pressing the city to reduce pollution further and say they avoid the ocean on rainy days because swimming in the murky water can lead to ear and skin infections.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last winter, sewers spilled into the bay 15 times, according to the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission. In an email to KQED, city officials wrote that all its fixes “alone are not a solution for reducing the impact of the increasingly intense storms that climate change brings.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996293\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1996293 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250228-WaterCitiesSF-37-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250228-WaterCitiesSF-37-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250228-WaterCitiesSF-37-BL-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250228-WaterCitiesSF-37-BL-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250228-WaterCitiesSF-37-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250228-WaterCitiesSF-37-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250228-WaterCitiesSF-37-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250228-WaterCitiesSF-37-BL-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Revitalizing a historic alley: Trees line Spofford Alley in San Francisco’s Chinatown on Feb. 28, 2025, as part of the Chinatown Spofford Living Alley project. The project includes flow-through planters that manage stormwater, pedestrian lighting for safety and bench seating for visitors to rest and take in the area. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The dispute over water pollution in San Francisco reached the Supreme Court after the EPA alleged the city repeatedly violated the Clean Water Act.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>San Francisco sued in response, claiming the regulations were too vague. The conservative-leaning court \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12029553/supreme-court-sides-with-san-francisco-against-epa-sewage-lawsuit\">largely sided with the city\u003c/a> in an opinion released in early March.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There’s no simple or cheap solution for San Francisco’s sewage woes, and no city has implemented a perfect fix, but Chicago, Milwaukee and New York’s efforts to soak up the rain provide a potential model for how to tackle the problem.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Chicago — ‘Waterways are cleaner than ever’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Chicago has a long history of water quality issues. In the late 1800s, the Chicago River was essentially the city’s latrine and flowed directly into Lake Michigan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We soon started to see massive outbreaks of typhoid and other waterborne diseases,” said Karl Rockne, an environmental engineering professor at the University of Illinois Chicago. “We recognized that we had to do something here in Chicago.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996291\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996291\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/23-0201_daily_historical_1904_0922_2958_000.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1258\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/23-0201_daily_historical_1904_0922_2958_000.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/23-0201_daily_historical_1904_0922_2958_000-800x503.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/23-0201_daily_historical_1904_0922_2958_000-1020x642.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/23-0201_daily_historical_1904_0922_2958_000-160x101.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/23-0201_daily_historical_1904_0922_2958_000-768x483.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/23-0201_daily_historical_1904_0922_2958_000-1536x966.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/23-0201_daily_historical_1904_0922_2958_000-1920x1208.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Grit and progress: Laborers pause for a photograph on Sept. 22, 1904, during construction of the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal extension. Covered in drilling mud, they stand beside compressed air rock drills used to bore holes for explosives. Built from 1903 to 1907, the four-mile extension connected Lockport to Joliet, enabling full navigation from Lake Michigan to the Des Plaines River and replacing the aging I&M Canal. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>To prevent sewage from reaching Lake Michigan, the city \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=kSsrrKMwPzQ&feature=youtu.be\">reversed the river’s flow\u003c/a> on \u003ca href=\"https://mwrd.org/news/chicago-rivers-reversal-1900-was-engineering-triumph-transformed-our-city-chicago-sun-times\">Jan. 2, 1900\u003c/a>. The city later built an elaborate maze of sewers and treatment plants and by 1930, according to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.chipublib.org/fa-chicago-sewers-collection/#:~:text=Later%2C%20the%20establishment%20of%20the,most%20extensive%20in%20the%20world.\">Sewers Collection\u003c/a> at the Chicago Library, it had the most extensive system in the world.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But that was not enough, and in the 1970s, the Windy City still discharged sewage into waterways about 100 times a year. The federal government required Chicago to clean up its act.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since then, Chicago has reduced its smelly water issues by digging massive tunnels up to 300 feet below the Chicago River and others that flow around the city.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "news_12029553",
"hero": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/08/cleaner-1180x787.jpg",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The city also captures runoff and sewage in three above-ground reservoirs, storing the water until it can be treated and released. The current system can store 11 billion gallons of water and will have the capacity to hold 17.5 billion gallons by 2029.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It is working, but there is always going to be some storm that will create problems,” said Marcelo Garcia, professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. “When the tunnels and reservoirs fill up, and you get another storm that takes you basically back to ground zero.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Today, the city discharges about 10 times annually, about the same as San Francisco. The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago hopes discharges will decrease when the new reservoir is finished.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The pollution load has drastically decreased,” said Kevin Fitzpatrick, assistant director of engineering for Chicago’s reclamation district. But storms are testing the system, he added, which was designed before the current effects of climate change.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996295\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996295\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/481300323_938424718481344_7313946279226847448_n-e1741972639259.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1254\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Building Chicago’s infrastructure: Workers construct the Calumet Sag Sewer near 127th Street and the Little Calumet River on July 20, 1921. This vital project helped expand the city’s sewer system, supporting flood control and wastewater management in the growing region. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“The waterways are cleaner than ever, but we still have flooding,” Fitzpatrick said. “So we realize [the tunnels and reservoirs] aren’t the only solution.” The agency also manages porous parking lots and hundreds of other projects that allow rainwater to infiltrate into the ground.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What can San Francisco learn from Chicago regarding reducing dirty flows? Garcia said tunnels are an “obvious thing to do,” but it is important to remember that Chicago has many times the open space and can store 16 times more water than San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The SFPUC said digging tunnels would significantly raise water bills for San Franciscans. In a fact sheet, the agency wrote the 7-by-7 mile-wide city would need 13 miles of tunnels 24 feet in diameter to capture overflows just on the city’s bayside each year but noted it still wouldn’t prevent discharges “in the biggest storms.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>New York — ‘An all-the-above strategy’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>In 2005, the federal government cited New York City for violating the Clean Water Act because its sewer systems \u003ca href=\"https://dec.ny.gov/environmental-protection/water/cso/nyc-cso\">spewed contaminated water\u003c/a> into Flushing Bay, Jamaica Bay and tributaries to the East River, Long Island Sound and Outer Harbor. Around 60% of New York City’s sewers are part of a combined system.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Unlike Chicago, which sits on massive amounts of limestone that it was able to dig into, New York City has limited subterranean space, extensive underground infrastructure and a high water table.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996288\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996288\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250307_Water-Cities_JB_254.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1331\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250307_Water-Cities_JB_254.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250307_Water-Cities_JB_254-800x532.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250307_Water-Cities_JB_254-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250307_Water-Cities_JB_254-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250307_Water-Cities_JB_254-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250307_Water-Cities_JB_254-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250307_Water-Cities_JB_254-1920x1278.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A living landscape: The green roof at Greenpoint Public Library in Brooklyn, New York, on March 7, 2025. Completed in 2020 as part of the library’s Environmental Education Center, the space features soil beds for horticultural programs, solar panels for renewable energy and permeable paving to manage rainwater sustainably. \u003ccite>(Jack Beal for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The Big Apple has instead invested in more than 13,000 rain gardens, green roofs, permeable pavement and other infrastructure projects.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“New York City is not the first city to use green infrastructure, but it is the first city to broadly implement it specifically for this purpose of combined sewer overflow management,” said Bernice Rosenzweig\u003cstrong>, \u003c/strong>professor of environmental science at Sarah Lawrence College.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While New York still grapples with reducing its discharges, Rosenzweig thinks San Francisco can learn a lot from it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996289\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996289\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/NYC_Map-e1741973347558.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1355\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mapping sustainability: The Green Infrastructure Program map, created by New York City’s Department of Environmental Protection, offers an interactive tool for users to explore green infrastructure projects across the city’s five boroughs, highlighting efforts to manage stormwater and promote environmental resilience. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of New York City Department of Environmental Protection)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“New York City and San Francisco have a lot of similarities,” Rosenzweig said — even though New York’s population is more than 10 times bigger. “They’re some of the densest communities in the United States, and they both rely on subterranean infrastructure.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Building green infrastructure has the effect of punching “holes” in the hard concrete landscape to “create sponges” so rainwater can be absorbed into the ground, said Jennifer Cherrier, an earth and environmental sciences professor at City University of New York.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The city isn’t relying solely on green infrastructure; it also has plans that include holding tanks, sewer improvements and marsh restoration.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996290\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1996290 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250307_Water-Cities_JB_121_duo.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"659\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250307_Water-Cities_JB_121_duo.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250307_Water-Cities_JB_121_duo-800x264.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250307_Water-Cities_JB_121_duo-1020x336.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250307_Water-Cities_JB_121_duo-160x53.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250307_Water-Cities_JB_121_duo-768x253.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250307_Water-Cities_JB_121_duo-1536x506.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250307_Water-Cities_JB_121_duo-1920x633.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Nature’s solutions: (Left) A rain garden at Saint Mary’s Park in the Bronx, New York, in March 2025, captures runoff from the recreation center’s roof, gradually releasing it to irrigate the garden while easing the strain on the city’s drainage system. The curb cuts direct water from the pavement into the ground. (Right) Snowdrops bloom in a rain garden beside permeable pavers at the Gil Hodges Community Garden in Brooklyn, New York, in March 2025. This rain garden, paired with permeable pavers, captures and reuses over 285,000 gallons of rainwater annually, promoting sustainable stormwater management. \u003ccite>(Jack Beal for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Our waters are getting a lot cleaner,” Cherrier said. “We have great white shark nursery grounds showing up again. We have had whales underneath the Brooklyn Bridge.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Still, the advocacy group Save the Sound estimates that more than 21 billion gallons of raw sewage enter New York City’s coastal waters annually, more than 10 times that of San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We really do need an all-of-the-above strategy, and the strategies that are implemented are going to vary across the city,” Rosenzweig said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Milwaukee — ‘Every drop of water counts’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>At the height of a water quality crisis in the 1970s, Milwaukee poured millions of gallons of sewage and stormwater into Lake Michigan an average of 60 times a year. Kevin Shafer, executive director of the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District, described the rivers in the region “as big, open sewers.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, over time, the city brought down the number of discharges; last year, it had only one.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The goal was zero, and we had one,” Shafer said. “That’s not good enough.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996284\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1996284 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/23-0515_0005.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1121\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/23-0515_0005.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/23-0515_0005-800x448.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/23-0515_0005-1020x572.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/23-0515_0005-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/23-0515_0005-768x430.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/23-0515_0005-1536x861.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/23-0515_0005-1920x1076.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Lessons from Chicago’s infrastructure: The McCook Reservoir, stages 1 and 2, part of Chicago’s Tunnel and Reservoir Plan (TARP), photographed on May 15, 2023, during excavation. This critical infrastructure project is designed to prevent pollution and manage stormwater, helping to protect the city from flooding and improve water quality. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Dan Wendt/MWRDGC)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Milwaukee applied the strategies pioneered in Chicago, digging miles of deep tunnels. It’s also developed more green infrastructure, like New York, transforming more than 5 square miles of land into a watershed and deploying rain barrels and green roofs to capture billions of gallons of water.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Tunnels are the backbone of everything we do,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The agency also sends alerts for residents to reduce water use during storms to “preserve the tunnels for the big events by cutting off the water at the surface.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996321\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1996321 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250228-WaterCitiesSF-19-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250228-WaterCitiesSF-19-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250228-WaterCitiesSF-19-BL_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250228-WaterCitiesSF-19-BL_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250228-WaterCitiesSF-19-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250228-WaterCitiesSF-19-BL_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250228-WaterCitiesSF-19-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250228-WaterCitiesSF-19-BL_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A step toward sustainability: A green infrastructure installation at San Francisco State University on Feb. 28, 2025, outside the science building. This basin captures and infiltrates stormwater through a spillway, channeling runoff into a swale that directs water to an outlet drain, enhancing the campus’s resilience to heavy rainfall. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“When we started it, we were laughed at,” Shafer said. “Now we have people actively signing up.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The SFPUC said San Francisco’s water use is low compared to other cities, and the city has enough capacity to not issue household alerts. “We’re more worried about the rain coming down rather than people flushing their toilets; we can generally handle that,” said Joel Prather, the SFPUC’s assistant general manager for wastewater enterprise.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While Shafer understands San Francisco is geographically different, he thinks the city could learn from Milwaukee’s success at reducing pollution in Lake Michigan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think you have to take this approach that every drop of water counts, no matter where it hits the surface,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/science/1996303/lessons-from-elsewhere-managing-san-franciscos-stormwater-sewage-mess",
"authors": [
"11746"
],
"categories": [
"science_31",
"science_4550",
"science_40",
"science_4450"
],
"tags": [
"science_5178",
"science_3905",
"science_182",
"science_194",
"science_4417",
"science_4414",
"science_2114",
"science_490",
"science_1213",
"science_1126",
"science_5183",
"science_5399",
"science_2581",
"science_201"
],
"featImg": "science_1996283",
"label": "science"
}
},
"podcastsReducer": {
"isFetching": false,
"fetchFailed": false,
"hasFetched": false,
"podcasts": {}
},
"radioProgramsReducer": {
"isFetching": false,
"fetchFailed": false,
"hasFetched": false,
"radioPrograms": {}
},
"programsReducer": {
"all-things-considered": {
"id": "all-things-considered",
"title": "All Things Considered",
"info": "Every weekday, \u003cem>All Things Considered\u003c/em> hosts Robert Siegel, Audie Cornish, Ari Shapiro, and Kelly McEvers present the program's trademark mix of news, interviews, commentaries, reviews, and offbeat features. Michel Martin hosts on the weekends.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 1pm-2pm, 4:30pm-6:30pm\u003cbr />SAT-SUN 5pm-6pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/All-Things-Considered-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/all-things-considered/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/all-things-considered"
},
"american-suburb-podcast": {
"id": "american-suburb-podcast",
"title": "American Suburb: The Podcast",
"tagline": "The flip side of gentrification, told through one town",
"info": "Gentrification is changing cities across America, forcing people from neighborhoods they have long called home. Call them the displaced. Now those priced out of the Bay Area are looking for a better life in an unlikely place. American Suburb follows this migration to one California town along the Delta, 45 miles from San Francisco. But is this once sleepy suburb ready for them?",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/American-Suburb-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/news/series/american-suburb-podcast",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 19
},
"link": "/news/series/american-suburb-podcast/",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/RBrW",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?mt=2&id=1287748328",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/American-Suburb-p1086805/",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/series/american-suburb-podcast/feed/podcast",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkMzMDExODgxNjA5"
}
},
"baycurious": {
"id": "baycurious",
"title": "Bay Curious",
"tagline": "Exploring the Bay Area, one question at a time",
"info": "KQED’s new podcast, Bay Curious, gets to the bottom of the mysteries — both profound and peculiar — that give the Bay Area its unique identity. And we’ll do it with your help! You ask the questions. You decide what Bay Curious investigates. And you join us on the journey to find the answers.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Bay-Curious-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Bay Curious",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/news/series/baycurious",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 3
},
"link": "/podcasts/baycurious",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bay-curious/id1172473406",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/500557090/bay-curious",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/category/bay-curious-podcast/feed/podcast",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9a90d476-aa04-455d-9a4c-0871ed6216d4/bay-curious",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/bay-curious",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/6O76IdmhixfijmhTZLIJ8k"
}
},
"bbc-world-service": {
"id": "bbc-world-service",
"title": "BBC World Service",
"info": "The day's top stories from BBC News compiled twice daily in the week, once at weekends.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 9pm-10pm, TUE-FRI 1am-2am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/BBC-World-Service-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/live:bbc_world_service",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "BBC World Service"
},
"link": "/radio/program/bbc-world-service",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/global-news-podcast/id135067274?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/BBC-World-Service-p455581/",
"rss": "https://podcasts.files.bbci.co.uk/p02nq0gn.rss"
}
},
"californiareport": {
"id": "californiareport",
"title": "The California Report",
"tagline": "California, day by day",
"info": "KQED’s statewide radio news program providing daily coverage of issues, trends and public policy decisions.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-California-Report-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The California Report",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/californiareport",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 8
},
"link": "/californiareport",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kqeds-the-california-report/id79681292",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/26099305-72af-4542-9dde-ac1807fe36d5/kqed-s-the-california-report",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/432285393/the-california-report",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqedfm-kqeds-the-california-report-podcast-8838",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/tag/tcram/feed/podcast"
}
},
"californiareportmagazine": {
"id": "californiareportmagazine",
"title": "The California Report Magazine",
"tagline": "Your state, your stories",
"info": "Every week, The California Report Magazine takes you on a road trip for the ears: to visit the places and meet the people who make California unique. The in-depth storytelling podcast from the California Report.",
"airtime": "FRI 4:30pm-5pm, 6:30pm-7pm, 11pm-11:30pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-California-Report-Magazine-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The California Report Magazine",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/californiareportmagazine",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 10
},
"link": "/californiareportmagazine",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-california-report-magazine/id1314750545",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM3NjkwNjk1OTAz",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/564733126/the-california-report-magazine",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/the-california-report-magazine",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/tag/tcrmag/feed/podcast"
}
},
"city-arts": {
"id": "city-arts",
"title": "City Arts & Lectures",
"info": "A one-hour radio program to hear celebrated writers, artists and thinkers address contemporary ideas and values, often discussing the creative process. Please note: tapes or transcripts are not available",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/05/cityartsandlecture-300x300.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.cityarts.net/",
"airtime": "SUN 1pm-2pm, TUE 10pm, WED 1am",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "City Arts & Lectures"
},
"link": "https://www.cityarts.net",
"subscribe": {
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/City-Arts-and-Lectures-p692/",
"rss": "https://www.cityarts.net/feed/"
}
},
"closealltabs": {
"id": "closealltabs",
"title": "Close All Tabs",
"tagline": "Your irreverent guide to the trends redefining our world",
"info": "Close All Tabs breaks down how digital culture shapes our world through thoughtful insights and irreverent humor.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/CAT_2_Tile-scaled.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Close All Tabs",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/closealltabs",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 1
},
"link": "/podcasts/closealltabs",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/close-all-tabs/id214663465",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC6993880386",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/92d9d4ac-67a3-4eed-b10a-fb45d45b1ef2/close-all-tabs",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/6LAJFHnGK1pYXYzv6SIol6?si=deb0cae19813417c"
}
},
"code-switch-life-kit": {
"id": "code-switch-life-kit",
"title": "Code Switch / Life Kit",
"info": "\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em>, which listeners will hear in the first part of the hour, has fearless and much-needed conversations about race. Hosted by journalists of color, the show tackles the subject of race head-on, exploring how it impacts every part of society — from politics and pop culture to history, sports and more.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em>, which will be in the second part of the hour, guides you through spaces and feelings no one prepares you for — from finances to mental health, from workplace microaggressions to imposter syndrome, from relationships to parenting. The show features experts with real world experience and shares their knowledge. Because everyone needs a little help being human.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510312/codeswitch\">\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/lifekit\">\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />",
"airtime": "SUN 9pm-10pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Code-Switch-Life-Kit-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/code-switch-life-kit",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/1112190608?mt=2&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnByLm9yZy9yc3MvcG9kY2FzdC5waHA_aWQ9NTEwMzEy",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/3bExJ9JQpkwNhoHvaIIuyV",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510312/podcast.xml"
}
},
"commonwealth-club": {
"id": "commonwealth-club",
"title": "Commonwealth Club of California Podcast",
"info": "The Commonwealth Club of California is the nation's oldest and largest public affairs forum. As a non-partisan forum, The Club brings to the public airwaves diverse viewpoints on important topics. The Club's weekly radio broadcast - the oldest in the U.S., dating back to 1924 - is carried across the nation on public radio stations and is now podcasting. Our website archive features audio of our recent programs, as well as selected speeches from our long and distinguished history. This podcast feed is usually updated twice a week and is always un-edited.",
"airtime": "THU 10pm, FRI 1am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Commonwealth-Club-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.commonwealthclub.org/podcasts",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "Commonwealth Club of California"
},
"link": "/radio/program/commonwealth-club",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/commonwealth-club-of-california-podcast/id976334034?mt=2",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5jb21tb253ZWFsdGhjbHViLm9yZy9hdWRpby9wb2RjYXN0L3dlZWtseS54bWw",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Commonwealth-Club-of-California-p1060/"
}
},
"forum": {
"id": "forum",
"title": "Forum",
"tagline": "The conversation starts here",
"info": "KQED’s live call-in program discussing local, state, national and international issues, as well as in-depth interviews.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 9am-11am, 10pm-11pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Forum-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Forum with Mina Kim and Alexis Madrigal",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/forum",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 9
},
"link": "/forum",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kqeds-forum/id73329719",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM5NTU3MzgxNjMz",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/432307980/forum",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqedfm-kqeds-forum-podcast",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC9557381633"
}
},
"freakonomics-radio": {
"id": "freakonomics-radio",
"title": "Freakonomics Radio",
"info": "Freakonomics Radio is a one-hour award-winning podcast and public-radio project hosted by Stephen Dubner, with co-author Steve Levitt as a regular guest. It is produced in partnership with WNYC.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/05/freakonomicsRadio.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://freakonomics.com/",
"airtime": "SUN 1am-2am, SAT 3pm-4pm",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "WNYC"
},
"link": "/radio/program/freakonomics-radio",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/4s8b",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/freakonomics-radio/id354668519",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/WNYC-Podcasts/Freakonomics-Radio-p272293/",
"rss": "https://feeds.feedburner.com/freakonomicsradio"
}
},
"fresh-air": {
"id": "fresh-air",
"title": "Fresh Air",
"info": "Hosted by Terry Gross, \u003cem>Fresh Air from WHYY\u003c/em> is the Peabody Award-winning weekday magazine of contemporary arts and issues. One of public radio's most popular programs, Fresh Air features intimate conversations with today's biggest luminaries.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 7pm-8pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Fresh-Air-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/fresh-air/",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/fresh-air",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/4s8b",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=214089682&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Fresh-Air-p17/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/381444908/podcast.xml"
}
},
"here-and-now": {
"id": "here-and-now",
"title": "Here & Now",
"info": "A live production of NPR and WBUR Boston, in collaboration with stations across the country, Here & Now reflects the fluid world of news as it's happening in the middle of the day, with timely, in-depth news, interviews and conversation. Hosted by Robin Young, Jeremy Hobson and Tonya Mosley.",
"airtime": "MON-THU 11am-12pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Here-And-Now-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://www.wbur.org/hereandnow",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/here-and-now",
"subsdcribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?mt=2&id=426698661",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Here--Now-p211/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510051/podcast.xml"
}
},
"hidden-brain": {
"id": "hidden-brain",
"title": "Hidden Brain",
"info": "Shankar Vedantam uses science and storytelling to reveal the unconscious patterns that drive human behavior, shape our choices and direct our relationships.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/05/hiddenbrain.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/series/423302056/hidden-brain",
"airtime": "SUN 7pm-8pm",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "NPR"
},
"link": "/radio/program/hidden-brain",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/hidden-brain/id1028908750?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/Science-Podcasts/Hidden-Brain-p787503/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510308/podcast.xml"
}
},
"how-i-built-this": {
"id": "how-i-built-this",
"title": "How I Built This with Guy Raz",
"info": "Guy Raz dives into the stories behind some of the world's best known companies. How I Built This weaves a narrative journey about innovators, entrepreneurs and idealists—and the movements they built.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/05/howIBuiltThis.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510313/how-i-built-this",
"airtime": "SUN 7:30pm-8pm",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/how-i-built-this",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/3zxy",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-built-this-with-guy-raz/id1150510297?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/Arts--Culture-Podcasts/How-I-Built-This-p910896/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510313/podcast.xml"
}
},
"hyphenacion": {
"id": "hyphenacion",
"title": "Hyphenación",
"tagline": "Where conversation and cultura meet",
"info": "What kind of no sabo word is Hyphenación? For us, it’s about living within a hyphenation. Like being a third-gen Mexican-American from the Texas border now living that Bay Area Chicano life. Like Xorje! Each week we bring together a couple of hyphenated Latinos to talk all about personal life choices: family, careers, relationships, belonging … everything is on the table. ",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Hyphenacion_FinalAssets_PodcastTile.png",
"imageAlt": "KQED Hyphenación",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/hyphenacion",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 15
},
"link": "/podcasts/hyphenacion",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hyphenaci%C3%B3n/id1191591838",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/2p3Fifq96nw9BPcmFdIq0o?si=39209f7b25774f38",
"youtube": "https://www.youtube.com/c/kqedarts",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/6c3dd23c-93fb-4aab-97ba-1725fa6315f1/hyphenaci%C3%B3n",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC2275451163"
}
},
"jerrybrown": {
"id": "jerrybrown",
"title": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown",
"tagline": "Lessons from a lifetime in politics",
"info": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown brings listeners the wisdom of the former Governor, Mayor, and presidential candidate. Scott Shafer interviewed Brown for more than 40 hours, covering the former governor's life and half-century in the political game – and Brown has some lessons he'd like to share. ",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Political-Mind-of-Jerry-Brown-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The Political Mind of Jerry Brown",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/jerrybrown",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 18
},
"link": "/podcasts/jerrybrown",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/790253322/the-political-mind-of-jerry-brown",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id1492194549",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/series/jerrybrown/feed/podcast/",
"tuneIn": "http://tun.in/pjGcK",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/the-political-mind-of-jerry-brown",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/54C1dmuyFyKMFttY6X2j6r?si=K8SgRCoISNK6ZbjpXrX5-w",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/44420f75-3b0e-4301-ab3b-16da6b09e543/the-political-mind-of-jerry-brown"
}
},
"latino-usa": {
"id": "latino-usa",
"title": "Latino USA",
"airtime": "MON 1am-2am, SUN 6pm-7pm",
"info": "Latino USA, the radio journal of news and culture, is the only national, English-language radio program produced from a Latino perspective.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/latinoUsa.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://latinousa.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/latino-usa",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/xtTd",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=79681317&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Latino-USA-p621/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510016/podcast.xml"
}
},
"marketplace": {
"id": "marketplace",
"title": "Marketplace",
"info": "Our flagship program, helmed by Kai Ryssdal, examines what the day in money delivered, through stories, conversations, newsworthy numbers and more. Updated Monday through Friday at about 3:30 p.m. PT.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 4pm-4:30pm, MON-WED 6:30pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Marketplace-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.marketplace.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "American Public Media"
},
"link": "/radio/program/marketplace",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=201853034&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/APM-Marketplace-p88/",
"rss": "https://feeds.publicradio.org/public_feeds/marketplace-pm/rss/rss"
}
},
"masters-of-scale": {
"id": "masters-of-scale",
"title": "Masters of Scale",
"info": "Masters of Scale is an original podcast in which LinkedIn co-founder and Greylock Partner Reid Hoffman sets out to describe and prove theories that explain how great entrepreneurs take their companies from zero to a gazillion in ingenious fashion.",
"airtime": "Every other Wednesday June 12 through October 16 at 8pm (repeats Thursdays at 2am)",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Masters-of-Scale-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://mastersofscale.com/",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "WaitWhat"
},
"link": "/radio/program/masters-of-scale",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "http://mastersofscale.app.link/",
"rss": "https://rss.art19.com/masters-of-scale"
}
},
"mindshift": {
"id": "mindshift",
"title": "MindShift",
"tagline": "A podcast about the future of learning and how we raise our kids",
"info": "The MindShift podcast explores the innovations in education that are shaping how kids learn. Hosts Ki Sung and Katrina Schwartz introduce listeners to educators, researchers, parents and students who are developing effective ways to improve how kids learn. We cover topics like how fed-up administrators are developing surprising tactics to deal with classroom disruptions; how listening to podcasts are helping kids develop reading skills; the consequences of overparenting; and why interdisciplinary learning can engage students on all ends of the traditional achievement spectrum. This podcast is part of the MindShift education site, a division of KQED News. KQED is an NPR/PBS member station based in San Francisco. You can also visit the MindShift website for episodes and supplemental blog posts or tweet us \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/MindShiftKQED\">@MindShiftKQED\u003c/a> or visit us at \u003ca href=\"/mindshift\">MindShift.KQED.org\u003c/a>",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Mindshift-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED MindShift: How We Will Learn",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/mindshift/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 12
},
"link": "/podcasts/mindshift",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mindshift-podcast/id1078765985",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM1NzY0NjAwNDI5",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/464615685/mind-shift-podcast",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/stories-teachers-share",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/0MxSpNYZKNprFLCl7eEtyx"
}
},
"morning-edition": {
"id": "morning-edition",
"title": "Morning Edition",
"info": "\u003cem>Morning Edition\u003c/em> takes listeners around the country and the world with multi-faceted stories and commentaries every weekday. Hosts Steve Inskeep, David Greene and Rachel Martin bring you the latest breaking news and features to prepare you for the day.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 3am-9am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Morning-Edition-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/morning-edition/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/morning-edition"
},
"onourwatch": {
"id": "onourwatch",
"title": "On Our Watch",
"tagline": "Deeply-reported investigative journalism",
"info": "For decades, the process for how police police themselves has been inconsistent – if not opaque. In some states, like California, these proceedings were completely hidden. After a new police transparency law unsealed scores of internal affairs files, our reporters set out to examine these cases and the shadow world of police discipline. On Our Watch brings listeners into the rooms where officers are questioned and witnesses are interrogated to find out who this system is really protecting. Is it the officers, or the public they've sworn to serve?",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/On-Our-Watch-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "On Our Watch from NPR and KQED",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/onourwatch",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 11
},
"link": "/podcasts/onourwatch",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1567098962",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5ucHIub3JnLzUxMDM2MC9wb2RjYXN0LnhtbD9zYz1nb29nbGVwb2RjYXN0cw",
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/onourwatch",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/0OLWoyizopu6tY1XiuX70x",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/On-Our-Watch-p1436229/",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/show/on-our-watch",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510360/podcast.xml"
}
},
"on-the-media": {
"id": "on-the-media",
"title": "On The Media",
"info": "Our weekly podcast explores how the media 'sausage' is made, casts an incisive eye on fluctuations in the marketplace of ideas, and examines threats to the freedom of information and expression in America and abroad. For one hour a week, the show tries to lift the veil from the process of \"making media,\" especially news media, because it's through that lens that we see the world and the world sees us",
"airtime": "SUN 2pm-3pm, MON 12am-1am",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/onTheMedia.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/otm",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "wnyc"
},
"link": "/radio/program/on-the-media",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/on-the-media/id73330715?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/On-the-Media-p69/",
"rss": "http://feeds.wnyc.org/onthemedia"
}
},
"pbs-newshour": {
"id": "pbs-newshour",
"title": "PBS NewsHour",
"info": "Analysis, background reports and updates from the PBS NewsHour putting today's news in context.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 3pm-4pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/PBS-News-Hour-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.pbs.org/newshour/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "pbs"
},
"link": "/radio/program/pbs-newshour",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/pbs-newshour-full-show/id394432287?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/PBS-NewsHour---Full-Show-p425698/",
"rss": "https://www.pbs.org/newshour/feeds/rss/podcasts/show"
}
},
"perspectives": {
"id": "perspectives",
"title": "Perspectives",
"tagline": "KQED's series of daily listener commentaries since 1991",
"info": "KQED's series of daily listener commentaries since 1991.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Perspectives_Tile_Final.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Perspectives",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/perspectives/",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 14
},
"link": "/perspectives",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id73801135",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/432309616/perspectives",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/perspectives/category/perspectives/feed/",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93dzIua3FlZC5vcmcvcGVyc3BlY3RpdmVzL2NhdGVnb3J5L3BlcnNwZWN0aXZlcy9mZWVkLw"
}
},
"planet-money": {
"id": "planet-money",
"title": "Planet Money",
"info": "The economy explained. Imagine you could call up a friend and say, Meet me at the bar and tell me what's going on with the economy. Now imagine that's actually a fun evening.",
"airtime": "SUN 3pm-4pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/planetmoney.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/sections/money/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/planet-money",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/M4f5",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/planet-money/id290783428?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/Business--Economics-Podcasts/Planet-Money-p164680/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510289/podcast.xml"
}
},
"politicalbreakdown": {
"id": "politicalbreakdown",
"title": "Political Breakdown",
"tagline": "Politics from a personal perspective",
"info": "Political Breakdown is a new series that explores the political intersection of California and the nation. Each week hosts Scott Shafer and Marisa Lagos are joined with a new special guest to unpack politics -- with personality — and offer an insider’s glimpse at how politics happens.",
"airtime": "THU 6:30pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Political-Breakdown-2024-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Political Breakdown",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/politicalbreakdown",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 5
},
"link": "/podcasts/politicalbreakdown",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/political-breakdown/id1327641087",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/e0c2d153-ad36-4c8d-901d-f1da6a724824/political-breakdown",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/572155894/political-breakdown",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/political-breakdown",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/07RVyIjIdk2WDuVehvBMoN",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/tag/political-breakdown/feed/podcast"
}
},
"possible": {
"id": "possible",
"title": "Possible",
"info": "Possible is hosted by entrepreneur Reid Hoffman and writer Aria Finger. Together in Possible, Hoffman and Finger lead enlightening discussions about building a brighter collective future. The show features interviews with visionary guests like Trevor Noah, Sam Altman and Janette Sadik-Khan. Possible paints an optimistic portrait of the world we can create through science, policy, business, art and our shared humanity. It asks: What if everything goes right for once? How can we get there? Each episode also includes a short fiction story generated by advanced AI GPT-4, serving as a thought-provoking springboard to speculate how humanity could leverage technology for good.",
"airtime": "SUN 2pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Possible-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.possible.fm/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "Possible"
},
"link": "/radio/program/possible",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/possible/id1677184070",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/730YpdUSNlMyPQwNnyjp4k"
}
},
"pri-the-world": {
"id": "pri-the-world",
"title": "PRI's The World: Latest Edition",
"info": "Each weekday, host Marco Werman and his team of producers bring you the world's most interesting stories in an hour of radio that reminds us just how small our planet really is.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 2pm-3pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-World-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.pri.org/programs/the-world",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "PRI"
},
"link": "/radio/program/pri-the-world",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/pris-the-world-latest-edition/id278196007?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/News--Politics-Podcasts/PRIs-The-World-p24/",
"rss": "http://feeds.feedburner.com/pri/theworld"
}
},
"radiolab": {
"id": "radiolab",
"title": "Radiolab",
"info": "A two-time Peabody Award-winner, Radiolab is an investigation told through sounds and stories, and centered around one big idea. In the Radiolab world, information sounds like music and science and culture collide. Hosted by Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich, the show is designed for listeners who demand skepticism, but appreciate wonder. WNYC Studios is the producer of other leading podcasts including Freakonomics Radio, Death, Sex & Money, On the Media and many more.",
"airtime": "SUN 12am-1am, SAT 2pm-3pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/radiolab1400.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/radiolab/",
"meta": {
"site": "science",
"source": "WNYC"
},
"link": "/radio/program/radiolab",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/radiolab/id152249110?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/RadioLab-p68032/",
"rss": "https://feeds.wnyc.org/radiolab"
}
},
"reveal": {
"id": "reveal",
"title": "Reveal",
"info": "Created by The Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX, Reveal is public radios first one-hour weekly radio show and podcast dedicated to investigative reporting. Credible, fact based and without a partisan agenda, Reveal combines the power and artistry of driveway moment storytelling with data-rich reporting on critically important issues. The result is stories that inform and inspire, arming our listeners with information to right injustices, hold the powerful accountable and improve lives.Reveal is hosted by Al Letson and showcases the award-winning work of CIR and newsrooms large and small across the nation. In a radio and podcast market crowded with choices, Reveal focuses on important and often surprising stories that illuminate the world for our listeners.",
"airtime": "SAT 4pm-5pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/reveal300px.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.revealnews.org/episodes/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/reveal",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/reveal/id886009669",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Reveal-p679597/",
"rss": "http://feeds.revealradio.org/revealpodcast"
}
},
"rightnowish": {
"id": "rightnowish",
"title": "Rightnowish",
"tagline": "Art is where you find it",
"info": "Rightnowish digs into life in the Bay Area right now… ish. Journalist Pendarvis Harshaw takes us to galleries painted on the sides of liquor stores in West Oakland. We'll dance in warehouses in the Bayview, make smoothies with kids in South Berkeley, and listen to classical music in a 1984 Cutlass Supreme in Richmond. Every week, Pen talks to movers and shakers about how the Bay Area shapes what they create, and how they shape the place we call home.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Rightnowish-Podcast-Tile-500x500-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Rightnowish with Pendarvis Harshaw",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/rightnowish",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 16
},
"link": "/podcasts/rightnowish",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/721590300/rightnowish",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/programs/rightnowish/feed/podcast",
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rightnowish/id1482187648",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/rightnowish",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkMxMjU5MTY3NDc4",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/7kEJuafTzTVan7B78ttz1I"
}
},
"science-friday": {
"id": "science-friday",
"title": "Science Friday",
"info": "Science Friday is a weekly science talk show, broadcast live over public radio stations nationwide. Each week, the show focuses on science topics that are in the news and tries to bring an educated, balanced discussion to bear on the scientific issues at hand. Panels of expert guests join host Ira Flatow, a veteran science journalist, to discuss science and to take questions from listeners during the call-in portion of the program.",
"airtime": "FRI 11am-1pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Science-Friday-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/science-friday",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/science-friday",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=73329284&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Science-Friday-p394/",
"rss": "http://feeds.wnyc.org/science-friday"
}
},
"snap-judgment": {
"id": "snap-judgment",
"title": "Snap Judgment",
"tagline": "Real stories with killer beats",
"info": "The Snap Judgment radio show and podcast mixes real stories with killer beats to produce cinematic, dramatic radio. Snap's musical brand of storytelling dares listeners to see the world through the eyes of another. This is storytelling... with a BEAT!! Snap first aired on public radio stations nationwide in July 2010. Today, Snap Judgment airs on over 450 public radio stations and is brought to the airwaves by KQED & PRX.",
"airtime": "SAT 1pm-2pm, 9pm-10pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Snap-Judgment-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Snap Judgment",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://snapjudgment.org",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 4
},
"link": "https://snapjudgment.org",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/snap-judgment/id283657561",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/449018144/snap-judgment",
"stitcher": "https://www.pandora.com/podcast/snap-judgment/PC:241?source=stitcher-sunset",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/3Cct7ZWmxHNAtLgBTqjC5v",
"rss": "https://snap.feed.snapjudgment.org/"
}
},
"soldout": {
"id": "soldout",
"title": "SOLD OUT: Rethinking Housing in America",
"tagline": "A new future for housing",
"info": "Sold Out: Rethinking Housing in America",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Sold-Out-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Sold Out: Rethinking Housing in America",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/soldout",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 13
},
"link": "/podcasts/soldout",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/911586047/s-o-l-d-o-u-t-a-new-future-for-housing",
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/introducing-sold-out-rethinking-housing-in-america/id1531354937",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/soldout",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/38dTBSk2ISFoPiyYNoKn1X",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/sold-out-rethinking-housing-in-america",
"tunein": "https://tunein.com/radio/SOLD-OUT-Rethinking-Housing-in-America-p1365871/"
}
},
"spooked": {
"id": "spooked",
"title": "Spooked",
"tagline": "True-life supernatural stories",
"info": "",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Spooked-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Spooked",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://spookedpodcast.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 7
},
"link": "https://spookedpodcast.org/",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/spooked/id1279361017",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/549547848/snap-judgment-presents-spooked",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/76571Rfl3m7PLJQZKQIGCT",
"rss": "https://feeds.simplecast.com/TBotaapn"
}
},
"tech-nation": {
"id": "tech-nation",
"title": "Tech Nation Radio Podcast",
"info": "Tech Nation is a weekly public radio program, hosted by Dr. Moira Gunn. Founded in 1993, it has grown from a simple interview show to a multi-faceted production, featuring conversations with noted technology and science leaders, and a weekly science and technology-related commentary.",
"airtime": "FRI 10pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Tech-Nation-Radio-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://technation.podomatic.com/",
"meta": {
"site": "science",
"source": "Tech Nation Media"
},
"link": "/radio/program/tech-nation",
"subscribe": {
"rss": "https://technation.podomatic.com/rss2.xml"
}
},
"ted-radio-hour": {
"id": "ted-radio-hour",
"title": "TED Radio Hour",
"info": "The TED Radio Hour is a journey through fascinating ideas, astonishing inventions, fresh approaches to old problems, and new ways to think and create.",
"airtime": "SUN 3pm-4pm, SAT 10pm-11pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/tedRadioHour.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/ted-radio-hour/?showDate=2018-06-22",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/ted-radio-hour",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/8vsS",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=523121474&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/TED-Radio-Hour-p418021/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510298/podcast.xml"
}
},
"thebay": {
"id": "thebay",
"title": "The Bay",
"tagline": "Local news to keep you rooted",
"info": "Host Devin Katayama walks you through the biggest story of the day with reporters and newsmakers.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Bay-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The Bay",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/thebay",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 2
},
"link": "/podcasts/thebay",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-bay/id1350043452",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/d800ea4c-7a2c-42f2-b861-edaf78a5db0b/the-bay",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/586725995/the-bay",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/the-bay",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/4BIKBKIujizLHlIlBNaAqQ",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC8259786327"
}
},
"thelatest": {
"id": "thelatest",
"title": "The Latest",
"tagline": "Trusted local news in real time",
"info": "",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/The-Latest-2025-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The Latest",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/thelatest",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 6
},
"link": "/thelatest",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-latest-from-kqed/id1197721799",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/1257949365/the-latest-from-k-q-e-d",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/5KIIXMgM9GTi5AepwOYvIZ?si=bd3053fec7244dba",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC9137121918"
}
},
"theleap": {
"id": "theleap",
"title": "The Leap",
"tagline": "What if you closed your eyes, and jumped?",
"info": "Stories about people making dramatic, risky changes, told by award-winning public radio reporter Judy Campbell.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Leap-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The Leap",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/theleap",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 17
},
"link": "/podcasts/theleap",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-leap/id1046668171",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/447248267/the-leap",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/the-leap",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/3sSlVHHzU0ytLwuGs1SD1U",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/programs/the-leap/feed/podcast"
}
},
"the-moth-radio-hour": {
"id": "the-moth-radio-hour",
"title": "The Moth Radio Hour",
"info": "Since its launch in 1997, The Moth has presented thousands of true stories, told live and without notes, to standing-room-only crowds worldwide. Moth storytellers stand alone, under a spotlight, with only a microphone and a roomful of strangers. The storyteller and the audience embark on a high-wire act of shared experience which is both terrifying and exhilarating. Since 2008, The Moth podcast has featured many of our favorite stories told live on Moth stages around the country. For information on all of our programs and live events, visit themoth.org.",
"airtime": "SAT 8pm-9pm and SUN 11am-12pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/theMoth.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://themoth.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "prx"
},
"link": "/radio/program/the-moth-radio-hour",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-moth-podcast/id275699983?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/The-Moth-p273888/",
"rss": "http://feeds.themoth.org/themothpodcast"
}
},
"the-new-yorker-radio-hour": {
"id": "the-new-yorker-radio-hour",
"title": "The New Yorker Radio Hour",
"info": "The New Yorker Radio Hour is a weekly program presented by the magazine's editor, David Remnick, and produced by WNYC Studios and The New Yorker. Each episode features a diverse mix of interviews, profiles, storytelling, and an occasional burst of humor inspired by the magazine, and shaped by its writers, artists, and editors. This isn't a radio version of a magazine, but something all its own, reflecting the rich possibilities of audio storytelling and conversation. Theme music for the show was composed and performed by Merrill Garbus of tUnE-YArDs.",
"airtime": "SAT 10am-11am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-New-Yorker-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/tnyradiohour",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "WNYC"
},
"link": "/radio/program/the-new-yorker-radio-hour",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id1050430296",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/WNYC-Podcasts/New-Yorker-Radio-Hour-p803804/",
"rss": "https://feeds.feedburner.com/newyorkerradiohour"
}
},
"the-sam-sanders-show": {
"id": "the-sam-sanders-show",
"title": "The Sam Sanders Show",
"info": "One of public radio's most dynamic voices, Sam Sanders helped launch The NPR Politics Podcast and hosted NPR's hit show It's Been A Minute. Now, the award-winning host returns with something brand new, The Sam Sanders Show. Every week, Sam Sanders and friends dig into the culture that shapes our lives: what's driving the biggest trends, how artists really think, and even the memes you can't stop scrolling past. Sam is beloved for his way of unpacking the world and bringing you up close to fresh currents and engaging conversations. The Sam Sanders Show is smart, funny and always a good time.",
"airtime": "FRI 12-1pm AND SAT 11am-12pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/The-Sam-Sanders-Show-Podcast-Tile-400x400-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.kcrw.com/shows/the-sam-sanders-show/latest",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "KCRW"
},
"link": "https://www.kcrw.com/shows/the-sam-sanders-show/latest",
"subscribe": {
"rss": "https://feed.cdnstream1.com/zjb/feed/download/ac/28/59/ac28594c-e1d0-4231-8728-61865cdc80e8.xml"
}
},
"the-splendid-table": {
"id": "the-splendid-table",
"title": "The Splendid Table",
"info": "\u003cem>The Splendid Table\u003c/em> hosts our nation's conversations about cooking, sustainability and food culture.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Splendid-Table-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.splendidtable.org/",
"airtime": "SUN 10-11 pm",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/the-splendid-table"
},
"this-american-life": {
"id": "this-american-life",
"title": "This American Life",
"info": "This American Life is a weekly public radio show, heard by 2.2 million people on more than 500 stations. Another 2.5 million people download the weekly podcast. It is hosted by Ira Glass, produced in collaboration with Chicago Public Media, delivered to stations by PRX The Public Radio Exchange, and has won all of the major broadcasting awards.",
"airtime": "SAT 12pm-1pm, 7pm-8pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/thisAmericanLife.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.thisamericanlife.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "wbez"
},
"link": "/radio/program/this-american-life",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=201671138&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"rss": "https://www.thisamericanlife.org/podcast/rss.xml"
}
},
"tinydeskradio": {
"id": "tinydeskradio",
"title": "Tiny Desk Radio",
"info": "We're bringing the best of Tiny Desk to the airwaves, only on public radio.",
"airtime": "SUN 8pm and SAT 9pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/300x300-For-Member-Station-Logo-Tiny-Desk-Radio-@2x.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/series/g-s1-52030/tiny-desk-radio",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/tinydeskradio",
"subscribe": {
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/g-s1-52030/rss.xml"
}
},
"wait-wait-dont-tell-me": {
"id": "wait-wait-dont-tell-me",
"title": "Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!",
"info": "Peter Sagal and Bill Kurtis host the weekly NPR News quiz show alongside some of the best and brightest news and entertainment personalities.",
"airtime": "SUN 10am-11am, SAT 11am-12pm, SAT 6pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Wait-Wait-Podcast-Tile-300x300-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/wait-wait-dont-tell-me/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/wait-wait-dont-tell-me",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/Xogv",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=121493804&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Wait-Wait-Dont-Tell-Me-p46/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/344098539/podcast.xml"
}
},
"weekend-edition-saturday": {
"id": "weekend-edition-saturday",
"title": "Weekend Edition Saturday",
"info": "Weekend Edition Saturday wraps up the week's news and offers a mix of analysis and features on a wide range of topics, including arts, sports, entertainment, and human interest stories. The two-hour program is hosted by NPR's Peabody Award-winning Scott Simon.",
"airtime": "SAT 5am-10am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Weekend-Edition-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/weekend-edition-saturday/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/weekend-edition-saturday"
},
"weekend-edition-sunday": {
"id": "weekend-edition-sunday",
"title": "Weekend Edition Sunday",
"info": "Weekend Edition Sunday features interviews with newsmakers, artists, scientists, politicians, musicians, writers, theologians and historians. The program has covered news events from Nelson Mandela's 1990 release from a South African prison to the capture of Saddam Hussein.",
"airtime": "SUN 5am-10am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Weekend-Edition-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/weekend-edition-sunday/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/weekend-edition-sunday"
}
},
"racesReducer": {},
"racesGenElectionReducer": {},
"racesGenElection2026Reducer": {},
"radioSchedulesReducer": {},
"listsReducer": {
"posts/science?tag=climate-change": {
"isFetching": false,
"latestQuery": {
"from": 48,
"size": 12
},
"vitalsOnly": false,
"totalRequested": 12,
"isLoading": false,
"isLoadingMore": true,
"total": {
"value": 631,
"relation": "eq"
},
"items": [
"science_1997037",
"science_1996948",
"science_1996968",
"science_1996980",
"science_1996916",
"science_1996769",
"science_1996746",
"science_1996728",
"science_1996611",
"science_1996664",
"science_1996589",
"science_1996303"
],
"complete": true
}
},
"recallGuideReducer": {
"intros": {},
"policy": {},
"candidates": {}
},
"savedArticleReducer": {
"articles": [],
"status": {}
},
"newslettersReducer": {
"isFetching": false,
"fetchFailed": false,
"hasFetched": false,
"newsletters": {},
"isSubscribing": false,
"isUnsubscribing": false,
"subscribedNewsletters": {}
},
"termsReducer": {
"about": {
"name": "About",
"type": "terms",
"id": "about",
"slug": "about",
"link": "/about",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"arts": {
"name": "Arts & Culture",
"grouping": [
"arts",
"pop",
"trulyca"
],
"description": "KQED Arts provides daily in-depth coverage of the Bay Area's music, art, film, performing arts, literature and arts news, as well as cultural commentary and criticism.",
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts",
"slug": "arts",
"link": "/arts",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"artschool": {
"name": "Art School",
"parent": "arts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "artschool",
"slug": "artschool",
"link": "/artschool",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"bayareabites": {
"name": "KQED food",
"grouping": [
"food",
"bayareabites",
"checkplease"
],
"parent": "food",
"type": "terms",
"id": "bayareabites",
"slug": "bayareabites",
"link": "/food",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"bayareahiphop": {
"name": "Bay Area Hiphop",
"type": "terms",
"id": "bayareahiphop",
"slug": "bayareahiphop",
"link": "/bayareahiphop",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"campaign21": {
"name": "Campaign 21",
"type": "terms",
"id": "campaign21",
"slug": "campaign21",
"link": "/campaign21",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"careers": {
"name": "Careers",
"type": "terms",
"id": "careers",
"slug": "careers",
"link": "/careers",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"checkplease": {
"name": "KQED food",
"grouping": [
"food",
"bayareabites",
"checkplease"
],
"parent": "food",
"type": "terms",
"id": "checkplease",
"slug": "checkplease",
"link": "/food",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"education": {
"name": "Education",
"grouping": [
"education"
],
"type": "terms",
"id": "education",
"slug": "education",
"link": "/education",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"elections": {
"name": "Elections",
"type": "terms",
"id": "elections",
"slug": "elections",
"link": "/elections",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"events": {
"name": "Events",
"type": "terms",
"id": "events",
"slug": "events",
"link": "/events",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"event": {
"name": "Event",
"alias": "events",
"type": "terms",
"id": "event",
"slug": "event",
"link": "/event",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"filmschoolshorts": {
"name": "Film School Shorts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "filmschoolshorts",
"slug": "filmschoolshorts",
"link": "/filmschoolshorts",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"food": {
"name": "KQED food",
"grouping": [
"food",
"bayareabites",
"checkplease"
],
"type": "terms",
"id": "food",
"slug": "food",
"link": "/food",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"forum": {
"name": "Forum",
"relatedContentQuery": "posts/forum?",
"parent": "news",
"type": "terms",
"id": "forum",
"slug": "forum",
"link": "/forum",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"futureofyou": {
"name": "Future of You",
"grouping": [
"science",
"futureofyou"
],
"parent": "science",
"type": "terms",
"id": "futureofyou",
"slug": "futureofyou",
"link": "/futureofyou",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"jpepinheart": {
"name": "KQED food",
"relatedContentQuery": "posts/food,bayareabites,checkplease",
"parent": "food",
"type": "terms",
"id": "jpepinheart",
"slug": "jpepinheart",
"link": "/food",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"liveblog": {
"name": "Live Blog",
"type": "terms",
"id": "liveblog",
"slug": "liveblog",
"link": "/liveblog",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"livetv": {
"name": "Live TV",
"parent": "tv",
"type": "terms",
"id": "livetv",
"slug": "livetv",
"link": "/livetv",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"lowdown": {
"name": "The Lowdown",
"relatedContentQuery": "posts/lowdown?",
"parent": "news",
"type": "terms",
"id": "lowdown",
"slug": "lowdown",
"link": "/lowdown",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"mindshift": {
"name": "Mindshift",
"parent": "news",
"description": "MindShift explores the future of education by highlighting the innovative – and sometimes counterintuitive – ways educators and parents are helping all children succeed.",
"type": "terms",
"id": "mindshift",
"slug": "mindshift",
"link": "/mindshift",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"news": {
"name": "News",
"grouping": [
"news",
"forum"
],
"type": "terms",
"id": "news",
"slug": "news",
"link": "/news",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"newsletters": {
"name": "newsletters",
"type": "terms",
"id": "newsletters",
"slug": "newsletters",
"link": "/newsletters",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"perspectives": {
"name": "Perspectives",
"parent": "radio",
"type": "terms",
"id": "perspectives",
"slug": "perspectives",
"link": "/perspectives",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"podcasts": {
"name": "Podcasts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "podcasts",
"slug": "podcasts",
"link": "/podcasts",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"pop": {
"name": "Pop",
"parent": "arts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "pop",
"slug": "pop",
"link": "/pop",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"pressroom": {
"name": "Pressroom",
"type": "terms",
"id": "pressroom",
"slug": "pressroom",
"link": "/pressroom",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"quest": {
"name": "Quest",
"parent": "science",
"type": "terms",
"id": "quest",
"slug": "quest",
"link": "/quest",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"radio": {
"name": "Radio",
"grouping": [
"forum",
"perspectives"
],
"description": "Listen to KQED Public Radio – home of Forum and The California Report – on 88.5 FM in San Francisco, 89.3 FM in Sacramento, 88.3 FM in Santa Rosa and 88.1 FM in Martinez.",
"type": "terms",
"id": "radio",
"slug": "radio",
"link": "/radio",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"root": {
"name": "KQED",
"image": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"imageWidth": 1200,
"imageHeight": 630,
"headData": {
"title": "KQED | News, Radio, Podcasts, TV | Public Media for Northern California",
"description": "KQED provides public radio, television, and independent reporting on issues that matter to the Bay Area. We’re the NPR and PBS member station for Northern California."
},
"type": "terms",
"id": "root",
"slug": "root",
"link": "/root",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"science": {
"name": "Science",
"grouping": [
"science",
"futureofyou"
],
"description": "KQED Science brings you award-winning science and environment coverage from the Bay Area and beyond.",
"type": "terms",
"id": "science",
"slug": "science",
"link": "/science",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"stateofhealth": {
"name": "State of Health",
"parent": "science",
"type": "terms",
"id": "stateofhealth",
"slug": "stateofhealth",
"link": "/stateofhealth",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"support": {
"name": "Support",
"type": "terms",
"id": "support",
"slug": "support",
"link": "/support",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"thedolist": {
"name": "The Do List",
"parent": "arts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "thedolist",
"slug": "thedolist",
"link": "/thedolist",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"trulyca": {
"name": "Truly CA",
"grouping": [
"arts",
"pop",
"trulyca"
],
"parent": "arts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "trulyca",
"slug": "trulyca",
"link": "/trulyca",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"tv": {
"name": "TV",
"type": "terms",
"id": "tv",
"slug": "tv",
"link": "/tv",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"voterguide": {
"name": "Voter Guide",
"parent": "elections",
"alias": "elections",
"type": "terms",
"id": "voterguide",
"slug": "voterguide",
"link": "/voterguide",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"guiaelectoral": {
"name": "Guia Electoral",
"parent": "elections",
"alias": "elections",
"type": "terms",
"id": "guiaelectoral",
"slug": "guiaelectoral",
"link": "/guiaelectoral",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"science_tag_climate-change": {
"isLoading": true
},
"science_194": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_194",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "194",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "climate change",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "climate change Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 198,
"slug": "climate-change",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/climate-change"
},
"source_science_1997037": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_science_1997037",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "News",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_science_1996968": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_science_1996968",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "News",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_science_1996980": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_science_1996980",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "News",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_science_1996916": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_science_1996916",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "News",
"isLoading": false
},
"science_31": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_31",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "31",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Climate",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Climate Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 33,
"slug": "climate",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/category/climate"
},
"science_4550": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_4550",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "4550",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Local",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Local Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 4550,
"slug": "local",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/category/local"
},
"science_40": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_40",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "40",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "News",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "News Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 42,
"slug": "news",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/category/news"
},
"science_856": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_856",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "856",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "bay area",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "bay area Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 862,
"slug": "bay-area",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/bay-area"
},
"science_2924": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_2924",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "2924",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Bay Area weather",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Bay Area weather Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 2924,
"slug": "bay-area-weather",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/bay-area-weather"
},
"science_182": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_182",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "182",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "climate",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "climate Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 186,
"slug": "climate-2",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/climate-2"
},
"science_4414": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_4414",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "4414",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "featured-science",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "featured-science Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 4414,
"slug": "featured-science",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/featured-science"
},
"science_2114": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_2114",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "2114",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "flooding",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "flooding Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 2125,
"slug": "flooding",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/flooding"
},
"science_2184": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_2184",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "2184",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "heat",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "heat Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 2196,
"slug": "heat",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/heat"
},
"science_383": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_383",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "383",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "heat wave",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "heat wave Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 389,
"slug": "heat-wave",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/heat-wave"
},
"science_5183": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_5183",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "5183",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "San Francisco",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "San Francisco Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 5183,
"slug": "san-francisco",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/san-francisco"
},
"science_365": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_365",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "365",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "weather",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "weather Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 371,
"slug": "weather",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/weather"
},
"science_5347": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_5347",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "5347",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "wildfires",
"slug": "wildfires",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "wildfires Archives | KQED Science",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 5347,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/wildfires"
},
"science_5217": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_5217",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "5217",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "California",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "California Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 5217,
"slug": "california",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/interest/california"
},
"science_5229": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_5229",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "5229",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Climate",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Climate Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 5229,
"slug": "climate",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/interest/climate"
},
"science_5212": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_5212",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "5212",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "News",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "News Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 5212,
"slug": "news",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/interest/news"
},
"science_2874": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_2874",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "2874",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Animals",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Animals Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 2874,
"slug": "animals",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/category/animals"
},
"science_4450": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_4450",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "4450",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Science",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Science Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 4450,
"slug": "science",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/category/science"
},
"science_1120": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_1120",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1120",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "animals",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "animals Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1128,
"slug": "animals",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/animals"
},
"science_5178": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_5178",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "5178",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "California",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "California Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 5178,
"slug": "california",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/california"
},
"science_4417": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_4417",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "4417",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "featured-news",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "featured-news Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 4417,
"slug": "featured-news",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/featured-news"
},
"science_5319": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_5319",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "5319",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "pelicans",
"slug": "pelicans",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "pelicans Archives | KQED Science",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 5319,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/pelicans"
},
"science_633": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_633",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "633",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "photography",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "photography Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 639,
"slug": "photography",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/photography"
},
"science_309": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_309",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "309",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "science",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "science Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 314,
"slug": "science",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/science"
},
"science_5216": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_5216",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "5216",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Science",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Science Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 5216,
"slug": "science",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/interest/science"
},
"science_35": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_35",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "35",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Environment",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Environment Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 37,
"slug": "environment",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/category/environment"
},
"science_505": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_505",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "505",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "air pollution",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "air pollution Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 511,
"slug": "air-pollution",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/air-pollution"
},
"science_1627": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_1627",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1627",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "carbon emissions",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "carbon emissions Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1636,
"slug": "carbon-emissions",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/carbon-emissions"
},
"science_704": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_704",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "704",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "cars",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "cars Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 711,
"slug": "cars",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/cars"
},
"science_2889": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_2889",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "2889",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "clean energy",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "clean energy Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 2889,
"slug": "clean-energy",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/clean-energy"
},
"science_845": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_845",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "845",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "electric cars",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "electric cars Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 851,
"slug": "electric-cars",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/electric-cars"
},
"science_192": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_192",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "192",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "environment",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "environment Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 196,
"slug": "environment-2",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/environment-2"
},
"science_5181": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_5181",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "5181",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "health",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "health Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 5181,
"slug": "health",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/health"
},
"science_554": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_554",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "554",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "pollution",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "pollution Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 560,
"slug": "pollution",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/pollution"
},
"science_4277": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_4277",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "4277",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Public health",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Public health Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 4277,
"slug": "public-health",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/public-health"
},
"science_5226": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_5226",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "5226",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Health",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Health Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 5226,
"slug": "health",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/interest/health"
},
"science_3730": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_3730",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "3730",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Wildfires",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Wildfires Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 3730,
"slug": "wildfires",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/category/wildfires"
},
"science_1462": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_1462",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1462",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Sierra snowpack",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Sierra snowpack Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1471,
"slug": "sierra-snowpack",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/sierra-snowpack"
},
"science_107": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_107",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "107",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "snow",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "snow Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 111,
"slug": "snow",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/snow"
},
"science_1243": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_1243",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1243",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "snow survey",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "snow survey Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1252,
"slug": "snow-survey",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/snow-survey"
},
"science_1127": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_1127",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1127",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "snowpack",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "snowpack Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1135,
"slug": "snowpack",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/snowpack"
},
"science_98": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_98",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "98",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Water",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Water Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 102,
"slug": "water",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/category/water"
},
"science_3905": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_3905",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "3905",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "California water",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "California water Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 3905,
"slug": "california-water",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/california-water"
},
"science_3180": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_3180",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "3180",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "California water supply",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "California water supply Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 3180,
"slug": "california-water-supply",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/california-water-supply"
},
"science_202": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_202",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "202",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "delta",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "delta Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 206,
"slug": "delta",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/delta"
},
"science_5371": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_5371",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "5371",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "Gavin Newsom",
"slug": "gavin-newsom",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "Gavin Newsom | KQED Science",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 5371,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/gavin-newsom"
},
"science_100": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_100",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "100",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 104,
"slug": "sacramento-san-joaquin-delta",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/sacramento-san-joaquin-delta"
},
"science_201": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_201",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "201",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "water",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "water Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 205,
"slug": "water-2",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/water-2"
},
"science_110": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_110",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "110",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "water supply",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "water supply Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 114,
"slug": "water-supply",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/water-supply"
},
"science_715": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_715",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "715",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "California Coastal Commission",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "California Coastal Commission Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 722,
"slug": "california-coastal-commission",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/california-coastal-commission"
},
"science_1155": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_1155",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1155",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "pacific ocean",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "pacific ocean Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1164,
"slug": "pacific-ocean",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/pacific-ocean"
},
"science_206": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_206",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "206",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "sea level rise",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "sea level rise Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 210,
"slug": "sea-level-rise",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/sea-level-rise"
},
"science_4833": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_4833",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "4833",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "rising sea levels",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "rising sea levels Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 4833,
"slug": "rising-sea-levels",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/rising-sea-levels"
},
"science_5177": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_5177",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "5177",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "San Jose",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "San Jose Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 5177,
"slug": "san-jose",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/san-jose"
},
"science_5208": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_5208",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "5208",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "San Francisco",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "San Francisco Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 5208,
"slug": "san-francisco",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/interest/san-francisco"
},
"science_3779": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_3779",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "3779",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "housing",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "housing Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 3779,
"slug": "housing",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/housing"
},
"science_5218": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_5218",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "5218",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Housing",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Housing Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 5218,
"slug": "housing",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/interest/housing"
},
"science_3253": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_3253",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "3253",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "climate science",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "climate science Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 3253,
"slug": "climate-science",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/climate-science"
},
"science_3221": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_3221",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "3221",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Donald Trump",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Donald Trump Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 3221,
"slug": "donald-trump",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/donald-trump"
},
"science_1537": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_1537",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1537",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Earth Day",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Earth Day Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1546,
"slug": "earth-day",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/earth-day"
},
"science_5375": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_5375",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "5375",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "politics",
"slug": "politics",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "politics | KQED Science",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 5375,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/politics"
},
"science_3947": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_3947",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "3947",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Space",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Space Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 3947,
"slug": "space",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/category/space"
},
"science_2455": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_2455",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "2455",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "California climate",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "California climate Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 2467,
"slug": "california-climate",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/california-climate"
},
"science_5175": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_5175",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "5175",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "NASA",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "NASA Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 5175,
"slug": "nasa",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/nasa"
},
"science_3338": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_3338",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "3338",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "superbloom",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "superbloom Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 3338,
"slug": "superbloom",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/superbloom"
},
"science_2371": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_2371",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "2371",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "wildflowers",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "wildflowers Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 2383,
"slug": "wildflowers",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/wildflowers"
},
"science_490": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_490",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "490",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "groundwater",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "groundwater Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 496,
"slug": "groundwater",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/groundwater"
},
"science_1213": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_1213",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1213",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "rain",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "rain Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1222,
"slug": "rain",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/rain"
},
"science_1126": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_1126",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1126",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "rainfall",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "rainfall Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1134,
"slug": "rainfall",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/rainfall"
},
"science_5399": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_5399",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "5399",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "sewage",
"slug": "sewage",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "sewage | KQED Science",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 5399,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/sewage"
},
"science_2581": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_2581",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "2581",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "wastewater",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "wastewater Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 2593,
"slug": "wastewater",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/wastewater"
}
},
"userPermissionsReducer": {
"wpLoggedIn": false
},
"eventsReducer": {},
"fssReducer": {},
"tvDailyScheduleReducer": {},
"tvWeeklyScheduleReducer": {},
"tvPrimetimeScheduleReducer": {},
"tvMonthlyScheduleReducer": {},
"userAccountReducer": {
"user": {
"email": null,
"emailStatus": "EMAIL_UNVALIDATED",
"loggedStatus": "LOGGED_OUT",
"loggingChecked": false,
"articles": [],
"firstName": null,
"lastName": null,
"phoneNumber": null,
"fetchingMembership": false,
"membershipError": false,
"memberships": [
{
"id": null,
"startDate": null,
"firstName": null,
"lastName": null,
"familyNumber": null,
"memberNumber": null,
"memberSince": null,
"expirationDate": null,
"pfsEligible": false,
"isSustaining": false,
"membershipLevel": "Prospect",
"membershipStatus": "Non Member",
"lastGiftDate": null,
"renewalDate": null,
"lastDonationAmount": null
}
]
},
"authModal": {
"isOpen": false,
"view": "LANDING_VIEW"
},
"error": null
},
"youthMediaReducer": {},
"checkPleaseReducer": {
"filterData": {
"region": {
"key": "Restaurant Region",
"filters": [
"Any Region"
]
},
"cuisine": {
"key": "Restaurant Cuisine",
"filters": [
"Any Cuisine"
]
}
},
"restaurantDataById": {},
"restaurantIdsSorted": [],
"error": null
},
"userAgentReducer": {
"userAgent": "Mozilla/5.0 AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko; compatible; ClaudeBot/1.0; +claudebot@anthropic.com)",
"isBot": true
}
}
