Yuba Water Agency

09/04/2026

Our recent in-water sediment and debris removal efforts below New Colgate Powerhouse were a huge team effort, requiring staff to adaptively manage the project and work with contractors to restore the original grade of the river, while minimizing impacts to water quality.

In our latest "Beneath the Surface" video, hear more from Yuba Water Civil Engineer Aaron Taylor, who oversaw the project.

09/04/2026

Our water management decisions rely heavily on substantial and accurate data. That's where staff like Yuba Water Hydrologist Sam Stoner play an important role, collecting, verifying and processing flow measurements, checking and maintaining canal gaging stations, measuring groundwater and more.

Get to know Sam in our latest Faces of Yuba Water and learn how he got involved in his career path, his essential duties and more: adobe.ly/4gWaT2y

09/03/2026

Camping at New Bullards Bar this Labor Day weekend? Be bear aware!

Bears are active in the Tahoe and Plumas national forests, including around New Bullards Bar Reservoir. Help keep bears wild and your campsite safe:

🥫 Secure all food and beverages in a bear-safe storage locker or a locked vehicle, RV or hard-sided camper when you’re away from your campsite.
🚮 Keep trash secured and report any unsecured trash to your camp host.
🐻 Report bear encounters to your camp host, online at apps.wildlife.ca.gov/wir or by calling the U.S. Forest Service's conflict line at 916-358-2917.

For more bear-wise tips, visit bearwise.org. Have fun, stay safe and enjoy the holiday weekend.

09/03/2026

We’ve officially wrapped up our in-water sediment removal below New Colgate Powerhouse – a major step forward in our recovery efforts following the February penstock incident.

In just six months, an estimated 45,000 cubic yards of sediment and debris were removed from the river. That’s enough material to fill more than 5,000 dump trucks! The work focused on clearing sediment buildup around the powerhouse to help prevent future flooding and ensure the river channel has enough capacity to handle higher winter flows.

Ongoing recovery work includes Colgate Powerhouse repairs, stabilizing the riverbank, Lake Francis Road and the eroded hillside surrounding the penstock while we finalize the design of the penstock repair. The investigation into the cause of the incident is ongoing, with results expected later this fall.

A huge thank you to our contractor, Nordic, and our team for their near-nonstop efforts to make this important milestone possible. Read the latest at engage.yubawater.org.

09/02/2026

Recovery efforts continue at Yuba Water! We just awarded a $13.9 million contract to Hat Creek Construction & Materials for hillslope and soil stabilization work around our penstock above New Colgate Powerhouse in the Yuba County foothills.

The work is part of our ongoing recovery efforts following the rupture of our penstock in February, which caused significant erosion in the area. Crews will place slope and soil stabilization materials, add a rock buttress to help protect the hillside and build detention basins to manage rain runoff.

Construction is expected to begin later this month and continue as weather permits. Read more: bit.ly/yubawater-sept1

09/01/2026

Yuba Water community impact grants in action! 🪏💪

Reclamation District 784 recently completed a project to replace six aging storm drain pipes in the rural Horseshoe levee system in southern Yuba County, further strengthening the area’s levee system ahead of the rainy season.

The project was possible thanks to a $3.6 million grant from Yuba Water and was completed on time and under budget! Fantastic work by RD 784 and a great example of how our investments in local flood risk reduction and strong partnerships with local levee agencies make a real difference in our communities.

08/26/2026

A recent report from our partners at Blue Forest highlights the growing impact of partnerships to improve forest health and resilience in the Yuba River watershed.

In their 2025 annual report, Blue Forest recognizes Yuba Water as an early and continuing partner in the Forest Resilience Bond, an innovative financing model to increase the pace and scale of restoration work. Recognizing the connection between healthy forests and water supply reliability, we've now supported three Forest Resilience Bonds in the Yuba River watershed, including the Yuba Aspen and Meadow project launched last year.

Learn more about continued progress: bit.ly/blueforest-2025

08/25/2026

The recent wildfires throughout the state and across the country are a stark reminder of the need for continued work and investments to improve forest health and reduce the risk of high-intensity wildfire in the North Yuba River watershed, one of the few remaining watersheds that hasn't yet experienced a megafire.

The North Yuba Forest Partnership recently hosted a field tour for representatives from CAL FIRE, California Department of Water Resources, California Department of Conservation and Sierra Nevada Conservancy to show them some of the completed and active project sites throughout the watershed. During the tour, partners also discussed future projects, collaboration with Sierra Pacific Industries, adaptive management and maintenance needs and more.

Learn more about the North Yuba Forest Partnership and our continued efforts: yubaforest.org

Partners: U.S. Forest Service-Tahoe National Forest, The Nature Conservancy in California, SYRCL - The South Yuba River Citizens League, Camptonville Community Partnership, National Forest Foundation, Blue Forest, Nevada City Rancheria Nisenan Tribe and Sierra County

08/24/2026

We recently sat down with Bob Fischetti at 93Q Radio to talk about all things Yuba Water – why we were created, how we’ve grown as an agency over the last decade and what’s next as we continue to recover from the penstock incident earlier this year.

Our core missions remain the same, and we’re continuing to move forward while we work to safely rebuild and get our New Colgate Powerhouse back online.

Big thanks to Fish and the 93Q team for the thoughtful conversation and for giving us the opportunity to share more about Yuba Water and the work we do for our community! ❤️ Check out the full conversation below.

Willie Whittlesey and DeDe Cordell from Yuba Water Agency join Bob ...

08/20/2026

*PSA* As we continue to navigate wildfire season, we've received several questions asking how to find your zone. Here are some quick and easy steps. No sign-up or login needed.

1. Go to Community.ZoneHaven.com
2. Type your address in the search bar
3. Find your zone (i.e. Yub-E054) and write it down!
4. Keep it somewhere easy to find

🤔 Why are zones important? In Yuba County, we use zones during emergencies to tell you and others in an impacted area when you should get ready to evacuate or if you need to leave right away.

This map is interactive, meaning you can zoom in and see road names and nearby landmarks, such as parks or schools.

*These zones will also show up on the Sentinel by Ladris app. Stay safe!