Where’d that dam water go? Criticism flows after Trump’s discharge order
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Good morning. Here’s what you need to know to start your day.
- Why Trump’s dam order went down the drain.
- An atmospheric river storm is set to hit Southern California. What to know about the rain and the risks.
- 21 romantic spots to reserve from the 101 Best Restaurants guide.
- And here’s today’s e-newspaper.
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Criticism flows after Trump’s water release order
Early Friday morning, two dams in Tulare County started sending massive amounts of water down river channels toward the San Joaquin Valley.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers turned on the tap after a recent executive order by President Trump, who has railed against California’s water management policies.
“Federal records show that more than 2 billion gallons were released from the reservoirs over three days,” my colleague Ian James reported Monday. “The action occurred after Trump’s visit to fire-devastated Los Angeles, when he pledged to ‘open up the valves’ to bring the region more water — even though reservoirs that supply Southern California’s cities were at record levels (and remain so).”
Local water managers say they were caught off-guard by the decision when they were informed just a day before the water started flowing. They scrambled to alert local farming communities downstream about the potential for flooding. Due to those risks, local officials were able to persuade corps officials to reduce the amount of water initially planned for release.
The three-day water dump “has led to criticism from some residents, water managers and members of Congress, who say the unusual discharge of water seems to have been intended to make a political statement — to demonstrate that Trump has the authority to order federal dams or pumps to send more water flowing as he directs,” Ian wrote.
Trump’s water dump stems from a misunderstanding of California’s water systems, experts say.
The president has repeatedly asserted that the local water supply problems that hampered firefighting efforts during last month’s devastating L.A. fires were connected to state water management policies he opposes.
“I only wish they listened to me six years ago,” Trump posted on X last week. “There would have been no fire!”
An Army Corps of Engineers spokesperson told Ian and fellow Times reporter Jessica Garrison that water was released “to ensure California has water available to respond to the wildfires.”
State officials and experts say that’s not how our water works; regional reservoirs in Southern California are at record-high levels, they said.
According to CalFire, the only active fire in the state (as of Monday) is the Palisades fire, which is 100% contained.
And given that the first of three atmospheric rivers is expected to arrive this week and douse the region, it’s unclear what role river water that drains into the Tulare Lake Basin, roughly 150 miles north of Pacific Palisades, would play — or how (or if) federal officials intended to get it to L.A.
So where will those billions of gallons of water end up?
Ian traced its path:
“Coursing from rivers to canals to irrigation ditches, much of the water eventually made its way to retention basins, where it soaked into the ground, replenishing groundwater.”
Tom Barcellos, a farmer who is president of the Lower Tule River Irrigation District, told Ian the amount discharged was equivalent to about two days of maximum water use during the summer irrigation season.
For Peter Gleick, a water scientist and senior fellow at the Pacific Institute, Trump’s actions amounted to wasting billions of gallons of water “for a political photo op and a social media post.”
“[The water will] not be used or usable for firefighting, not be used by farmers since this isn’t the irrigation season, and won’t be saved for the dry season, which is coming,” Gleick told Ian.
And despite Trump’s claims that the “beautiful, clean water” will flow to farmers in desperate need of it, Dan Vink, former general manager of the Lower Tule River Irrigation District, told Ian and Jessica that the president’s order will mean less water when those fields need it the most.
“This is going to hurt farmers,” Vink said. “This takes water out of their summer irrigation portfolio.”
Trump’s order and the corps’ response also drew criticism from several state leaders, including Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla, who demanded answers in a letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
“Unscheduled water releases require close coordination with local officials and safety personnel, as well as downstream agricultural water users, in order to reduce flood risks to communities and farms,” Padilla wrote. “Based on the urgent concerns I have heard from my constituents, as well as recent reporting, it appears that gravely insufficient notification was given, recklessly endangering residents downstream.”
Today’s top stories
Trump delays tariffs on Mexico and Canada, but China remains in play
- Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said she spoke to Trump and they came to an agreement that delays for at least a month Trump’s threat of 25% tariffs on all Mexican goods imported to the United States.
- Mexico and Canada reach deals with Trump, but China tariffs loom.
- If the tariffs and countermeasures take effect, there will probably be chaos at the borders as many companies and government agencies seem unprepared for the sudden imposition of the new rules.
An atmospheric river storm is set to hit the Southland on Tuesday
- For L.A. County, what initially appeared to be one storm is now separating into two distinct storm systems.
- The peak timing for the first storm will be 10 p.m. Tuesday through noon Wednesday for Los Angeles County. L.A. County is expected to get one-quarter of an inch to 1 inch of rain.
- But after the rain, Santa Ana winds loom, potentially increasing fire risk if combined with dry vegetation.
The Lakers’ surprise trade
- The Lakers acquire Luka Doncic from the Mavericks for Anthony Davis in a blockbuster trade.
- In the wake of the Lakers’ trade for Luka Doncic late Saturday night, the immediate fallout pertained to LeBron James and his future with the organization.
- Is Luka Doncic 230 or 260 pounds? Magic Johnson says new Laker must take “conditioning seriously.”
What else is going on
- State Farm seeks emergency rate increase averaging 22% after L.A. fires.
- A congressman launches an investigation into L.A. County’s faulty emergency alerts.
- As global plastic production grows, so does the concentration of microplastics in our brains.
- After its red-carpet reporters cut off Babyface for Chappell Roan, the AP apologizes.
- ‘Jeopardy!’ and ‘Wheel of Fortune’ dispute escalates as Sony moves to cut out CBS.
- Rick Caruso launches a foundation to help rebuild L.A. after wildfires.
- Prosecutors who said the Menendez brothers should go free allege retaliation by D.A. Hochman.
- Trump orders the creation of a U.S. sovereign wealth fund, says it could own part of TikTok.
- A former nanny’s lawsuit accuses British fantasy author Neil Gaiman of human trafficking, rape and calling her ‘slave.’
- Just weeks after leaving office, Joe Biden is laying the groundwork for his post-presidential era in Hollywood.
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Commentary and opinions
- The Grammys promised to honor L.A. fire victims. Instead it turned them into props, Jessica Gelt writes.
- Why waving the Mexican flag at immigration rallies isn’t wrong, columnist Gustavo Arellano writes.
- With a fully mobilized effort, we can slash the poverty rate, especially since we’ve done it before, writes guest columnist Catherine Coleman Flowers.
- Corporate America isn’t abandoning DEI — it’s just rebranding it, guest columnists Kenji Yoshino and David Glasgow write.
This morning’s must reads
Mobile homes by the beach: In Pacific Palisades, a middle-class dream is destroyed. When it destroyed all but one of the 158 mobile and prefabricated homes in Tahitian Terrace on Jan. 7, the Palisades fire wiped out something rare in affluent, celebrity-studded Pacific Palisades: an affordable beachfront neighborhood.
Other must reads
- A Chiefs bar in Eagles country? Not all Philly faithful are seeing red.
- ‘Get on it AY-sep!’ Foreign words have invaded Korea. The government is fighting back.
- In honor of the 59th edition of the NFL’s biggest game, we take a trip down memory lane of 59 unforgettable moments at New Orleans Super Bowls over the decades.
How can we make this newsletter more useful? Send comments to [email protected].
For your downtime
Going out
- 🥂21 romantic spots to reserve from the 101 Best Restaurants guide.
- 🤠Beyoncé will launch 22-date Cowboy Carter tour with a four-night stint at SoFi Stadium.
Staying in
- 📚10 books to add to your reading list in February.
- 😋 Here’s 8 dips to make for Super Bowl Sunday.
- ✏️ Get our free daily crossword puzzle, sudoku, word search and arcade games.
A question for you: What’s a piece of advice that changed your life?
Peter Taubkin writes: “When I was around 8 or 9, I was prattling on about something I knew nothing about. My father interrupted me and said sternly, ‘Peter, you never learn when you’re talking, only when you listen.’ My fathers words penetrated fully and changed me forever.”
Email us at [email protected], and your response might appear in the newsletter this week.
And finally ... your photo of the day
Show us your favorite place in California! Send us photos you have taken of spots in California that are special — natural or human-made — and tell us why they’re important to you.
Today’s great photo is from Times photographer Allen J. Schaben from the 2025 Grammy Awards red carpet.
Have a great day, from the Essential California team
Ryan Fonseca, reporter
Defne Karabatur, fellow
Andrew Campa, Sunday reporter
Kevinisha Walker, multiplatform editor
Hunter Clauss, multiplatform editor
Christian Orozco, assistant editor
Stephanie Chavez, deputy metro editor
Karim Doumar, head of newsletters
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