Commentary: Cost of Sacramento Delta water woes
Posted by: Maven on May 5, 2012 at 6:13 amFrom Cal Coast News, this commentary by John Salisbury:
“Here I go again! I was thinking of giving the Sacramento Delta water woes a rest but a fairly recent move, discussed in an editorial in the San Fransisco Chronicle in December, by our old friend the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has got me going again.
Not meaning to bore you once again by mentioning my pedigree of 162 years of my family’s farming in the Delta but it does give me some personal insight into how outside governmental interference sometimes goes against local common sense.
To the point. The levees in the Delta are made of sand and/or peat – hardly good building blocks but it is what we have to work with. The early settlers built up their own levees, forming fertile islands, in the vast swampland and immediately planted trees and shrubs to hold the soil in place. Pretty much common sense – Ag conservation 101. Well, back in the 1960’s the Corps, which has control of all navigable streams, decided to take down all the trees and rock the levees at the average water levels leaving the Sacramento River and many of its tributaries looking like big ditches. … “
Continue reading this commentary at Cal Coast News by clicking here.
This just in … Laird pens letter to Department of Interior regarding BDCP: ” … there will be some workable delays in the release of the environmental documents”
Posted by: Maven on May 4, 2012 at 11:51 amFrom the Bay Delta Conservation Plan website, this letter from John Laird to David Hayes, Deputy Secretary of the Interior:
“Dear Deputy Secretary Hayes:
Since the beginning of the Brown administration, we have made significant headway in formulating a proposed project for the Bay Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP) that will meet the dual goals of water supply reliability and Delta ecosystem restoration. Thanks to our continued efforts together, we are on track to present a real and workable plan as part of the goals we have set for this year. That said there will be some workable delays in the release of the environmental documents. … “
Continue reading this letter at the Bay Delta Conservation Plan website by clicking here.
Fishing fleet sues feds — says Delta water exports hurt salmon
Posted by: Maven on May 4, 2012 at 7:16 amFrom the Central Valley Business Times:
“California commercial fishermen are suing the federal government over a decades old practice of rolling over “interim water” contracts — mostly with Central Valley farmers – that the fishermen say violates the law.
The Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations (PCFFA) and the Crab Boat Owners Association (CBOA) filed suit in U.S. District Court in San Francisco challenging the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s practice of promising what the suit contends are excessive amounts of water to contractors regardless of the water year or impacts on valuable fish stocks or the environment. … “
Continue reading from the Central Valley Business Times by clicking here.
MORE INFO: Fishing fleet sues feds—says water exports hurt salmon, from Dan Bacher at IndyBay.org
Delta water plan’s full impact needs close examination, says the San Francisco Examiner
Posted by: Maven on May 4, 2012 at 7:11 amFrom the San Francisco Examiner, this editorial:
“The state is moving forward with a grand scheme to redirect vast amounts of fresh water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta to Southern California. The delta ecosystem has long been in danger of collapse, and critics claim this project might well worsen the situation.
But very few Californians know about this project. It’s time to slow it down and give the state’s residents and voters a chance to think about it.
The issue is the Bay Delta Conservation Plan, a sweeping, 50-year proposal to restore tidal wetland habitats that can support delta organisms. In return for the restoration, it is proposed that the state build two large tunnels beneath the delta and redirect water south at the rate of 15,000 cubic feet per second. … “
Continue reading this editorial from the San Francisco Examiner by clicking here.
Inkstain blog: Will taxpayers bail out delta water exporters?
Posted by: Maven on May 4, 2012 at 6:58 amFrom the Inkstain blog:
“Jeffrey Michael runs the numbers and suggests the marginal cost of water from a new Peripheral Thingie (canal or tunnel beneath/around the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta) will be prohibitive for agricultural users asked to foot a share of the bill:
According to the draft BDCP, the marginal cost of new water the contractors get out of the tunnel is going to be $1,000 af ($1.2 billion in debt service and new operation cost for an average of 1.2 maf of new water). Environmental deficiencies with the draft BDCP could mean even less new water, driving the marginal cost of new water supplies even higher for the contractors. … “
Continue reading from the Inkstain blog by clicking here.
Thursday’s top of the scroll: Delta Stewardship Council letter says flow objectives should advance coequal goals
Posted by: Maven on May 3, 2012 at 9:12 amFrom ACWA’s Water News:
“The State Water Resources Control Board should consider water quality objectives for the Bay-Delta as part of a broader analysis of all ecosystem stressors, the Delta Stewardship Council recommended in a recent letter to the State Board.
The April 18 letter called on the State Board to include a number of elements in its evaluation of potential changes to Delta outflow and inflow requirements as part of its review of the 2006 Water Quality Control Plan for the Bay-Delta. … “
Continue reading from ACWA’s Water News by clicking here.
Fishermen fire shot in California water wars
Posted by: Maven on May 3, 2012 at 9:04 amFrom the Courthouse News Service:
“California fishermen and crabbers call the federal decision to divert water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta “a charade devoid of any effective environmental review,” in Federal Court.
The Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations and the San Francisco Crab Boat Owners Association sued the U.S. Department of the Interior and the Bureau of Reclamation for violations of the National Environmental Policy Act and the Central Valley Project Improvement Act.
The 1,100-square mile Delta, formed by the confluence of the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers, is the largest estuary on the Pacific Coast. … “
Continue reading from the Courthouse News Service by clicking here.
Tim Quinn: DSC letter may signal more constructive approach on Delta flows
Posted by: Maven on May 3, 2012 at 8:55 amFrom Tim Quinn at ACWA’s Voices on Water blog:
“Call me an optimist, but it looks like the policy debate over Delta flows may be moving in the right direction.
That’s my take on a recent letter by the Delta Stewardship Council to the State Water Resources Control Board regarding the role of flows in addressing a suite of problems affecting the Delta ecosystem and key species such as smelt and salmon.
The State Board has launched a process to evaluate potential changes to Delta outflow and inflow requirements and other measures as part of its review of water quality objectives for the Bay-Delta. … “
Continue reading from ACWA’s Voices on Water blog by clicking here.
Commentary: Draining Delta’s family farms to benefit land barons
Posted by: Maven on May 3, 2012 at 8:52 amFrom U-T San Diego, this commentary by Joy Baker, a Delta family farmer and president of Restore the Delta:
“My family and I reside on Sutter Island in southwestern Sacramento County, as we have for more than 150 years. We have invested blood, sweat, and tears, working the rich soil, producing food and fodder. The Delta nurtured California through its adolescence. I know the sacrifices that have been made, because I have read the ledgers, seen the photos and had the conversations with my ancestors. Farming is not for the faint of heart, but my family has endured, and our family’s farm today is sustainable.
Now, on the eve of the birth of our family’s eighth generation of Californians, we face California state water managers poised to wipe us out. The Bay Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP) proposes to sacrifice our water and land in order to build a mammoth peripheral canal or tunnel to take millions of acre-feet of water a year. Such a colossal boondoggle would mainly benefit a select few land-rich billionaires and their vast corporate agribusiness empires.
My perspective on the BDCP is based on my family history and legacy. … “
Continue reading this commentary at U-T San Diego by clicking here.
Commentary: Top 10 unanswered questions to the Delta conveyance plan
Posted by: Maven on May 3, 2012 at 8:44 amFrom the Public Water News Service, this commentary by Burt Wilson:
“Dr. Jerry Meral, the titular head of the Bay Delta Conservation Plan, recently announced that the conveyance part of the plan would include two tunnels and five huge intakes along the Sacramento River from Clarksburg to Courtland. Some conveyance advocates, however, are still holding out for a Peripheral Canal.
Meral’s plan calls for each intake to operate at 15,000 cubic feet per second (cfs). These tunnels would empty into a new Forebay, near the present Clifton Court Forebay where the water would be pumped south. The Department of Water Resources says that “State of the art fish screens” will be used at the Sacramento River intakes, one extending a mile and a half long.
Whether it’s a tunnel or a canal, here are the top ten unanswered questions concerning such a conveyance and its accoutrements. … “
Continue reading this commentary by clicking here.
BDCP’s Effects Analysis presentation and the review panel’s initial findings available online
Posted by: Maven on May 3, 2012 at 8:30 amFrom the Delta Stewardship Council website:
- BDCP Effects Analysis Presentation from ICF International (April 30, 2012)
- Panel’s Initial Findings and Recommendations (May 1, 2012)
Q&A with the new Lead Scientist Peter Goodwin of the Delta Science Program
Posted by: Maven on May 3, 2012 at 8:23 amFrom the Delta Stewardship Council website:
“Dr. Peter Goodwin took over the reins of the Delta Science Program March 1, 2012 from Dr. Cliff Dahm, who served as Lead Scientist for the past three-and-a-half years.
New Lead Scientist Goodwin is an internationally-recognized expert in ecohydraulics (linkages between physical processes, management actions, and ecological responses), ecosystem restoration, and enhancement of river, wetland and estuarine systems. Goodwin is the DeVlieg Presidential Professor in Ecohydraulics and professor of
civil engineering at the University of Idaho. He also is the founding and current director of the Center for Ecohydraulics Research and a former CALFED Independent Science Board member. Science News (SN) recently met with Goodwin for a Q&A, which includes his goals for the Delta Science Program.SN: What prompted you to seek the Lead Scientist position? … “
Continue reading from the Delta Stewardship Council website by clicking here.
Valley Economy blog: Will water contractors’ have a Maloof moment on the BDCP?
Posted by: Maven on May 2, 2012 at 8:47 amFrom the Valley Economy blog:
“Over the past month, the Sacramento arena deal collapsed when the Sacramento Kings’ owners, the Maloofs, backed out of the deal. Many people were incredulous at the Maloofs flip-flop, as they have been saying they needed a new, modern arena for years. The Maloofs killed the deal because they realized that the a new arena wouldn’t generate enough new revenue compared to their imperfect current facility to justify the new debt. While City officials are upset with the Maloofs, city taxpayers should not be. The Maloofs may have accidentally saved the City of Sacramento from a financial fiasco as well.
I think we may be headed towards a similar moment with some of the water contractors and the BDCP deal. … “
Continue reading from the Valley Economy blog by clicking here.
Delta National Park blog: A visit to Stone Lakes National Wildlife Refuge
Posted by: Maven on April 30, 2012 at 7:02 amFrom the Delta National Park blog:
“On a sunny and breezy Saturday morning, I joined a tour of the northern part of Stone Lakes National Wildlife Refuge. Situated just east of I-5 south of Sacramento, Stone Lakes is the largest urban wildlife reserve in the US.
Our guide was USFWS volunteer Ray Mendonsa, who came equipped with extra pairs of binoculars and a broad knowledge base from which he could draw upon. Here he is telling us a story about why early Californian documents were penned in brown ink. Turns out it had to do with the difficulty in obtaining cuttlefish (black) ink from the east coast and the at-hand ability to make Iron gall ink, a process described to early colonists by the area natives. … “
Continue reading from the Delta National Park blog by clicking here.
Restore the Delta’s blog: Trying to get the Water Commission up to speed on BDCP
Posted by: Maven on April 27, 2012 at 7:40 amFrom Restore the Delta’s blog:
“At last week’s California Water Commission meeting, Jerry Meral gave a rosy update on BDCP, including how it will be financed. (Handouts from BDCP and BDCP EIR on finance here) Interestingly, Meral claimed that the BDCP could still go forward without the Water Bond even though the draft Implementation Costs and Funding Sources chapter of the BDCP (Chapter 8 ) shows that over $2.5 million of the bloated Water Bond would go toward building the BDCP.
At the same time, Dr. Meral said that the Bond was not essential to the success of the BDCP. He cited the ability to get funds from the CVPIA to help pay for BDCP. This is alarming, since the CVPIA was adopted specifically “to protect, restore, and enhance fish, wildlife, and associated habitats” and the BDCP effects analysis itself throws doubt on the ability of the BDCP to recover fish species, as explained recently by the NRDC’s Science Center Director, Tina Swanson. … “
Continue reading from the Restore the Delta’s blog by clicking here.
MORE FROM RESTORE THE DELTA: The importance of looking independent
Latest issue of Science News now available online
Posted by: Maven on April 27, 2012 at 7:38 amFrom the Delta Stewardship Council, Delta Science Program:
The April issue of Science News is now available exclusively online.
• Delta Science Program Welcomes Lead Scientist
• Effects of Climate Change on San Francisco Bay-Delta Wetlands Featured in San Francisco Estuary and Watershed Science Papers
• Delta Independent Science Board Update
• Pick Our Brain: How does groundwater recharge work?
• Coming Soon – Draft BDCP Effects Analysis Phase 2 Review – April 30-May 1, 2012
• Delta ISB Meeting – May 3-4, 2012
• Delta Science Fellows Program Application Deadline – June 4, 2012
Click here for the latest issue of Science News.
Thursday’s top of the scroll: Proposed Delta Stewardship Council merger examined
Posted by: Maven on April 26, 2012 at 9:16 amFrom ACWA’s Water News:
“A government reorganization plan that proposes transferring the Delta Stewardship Council into the Natural Resources Agency was the subject of a series of public hearings this week hosted by the Little Hoover Commission.
Submitted to the commission last month by Gov. Jerry Brown, the plan calls for replacing five state agencies with three and aims to streamline government, boost efficiencies and reduce unnecessary spending, according to a transmittal letter from the governor to commission Chair Daniel W. Hancock. … “
Continue reading from ACWA’s Water News by clicking here.
State Board proposes workshops on Delta water quality objectives
Posted by: Maven on April 26, 2012 at 8:48 amFrom ACWA’s Water News:
“The State Water Resources Control Board is proposing a series of workshops as part of its process to consider new water quality objectives for the Bay-Delta.
The proposed workshops are aimed at gathering expert scientific input on key topics identified for Phase 2 of the State Board’s review and update of the 2006 Bay-Delta Plan. The State Board will examine whether modifications are needed to Delta outflow objectives, export / inflow objectives, other measures. … “
Continue reading from ACWA’s Water News by clicking here.
Bay-Delta Conservation Plan: Fish Agency red flag comments and responses on Draft Effects Analysis
Posted by: Maven on April 26, 2012 at 8:02 amFrom the Bay-Delta Conservation Plan:
“This document is a compilation of the fish agency “red flag” comments and ICF’s responses thereto regarding the BDCP draft Effects Analysis. These informal comments were developed by agency staff to flag quickly issues that need to be resolved prior to final submittal of the plan. As such, they do not reflect an official agency position or decision. ICF’s responses are preliminary and intended to facilitate further discussion and resolution of issues. ICF and the agencies will be working to address the red flag issues in the coming weeks. Review the document.”
Wednesday’s top of the scroll: Bill to determine water plan’s true cost clears
Posted by: Maven on April 25, 2012 at 5:20 amFrom the San Francisco Chronicle:
“A Central Valley Republican wants to mandate that officials determine the total cost before constructing a canal or tunnel to move water around the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta.
The bill, AB2421, by Bill Berryhill, R-Ceres (Stanislaus County), cleared an Assembly committee Tuesday with bipartisan support.
In addition to requiring a total cost determination, the bill would also require that officials explain who would pay for the project. … “
Continue reading from the San Francisco Chronicle by clicking here.
MORE COVERAGE:
- Legislative committee approves peripheral canal cost-benefit study, from the Central Valley Business Times
- Delta canal bill clears first Assembly hurdle, from the Stockton Record
Assembly Committee rejects AB 2000, approves two other bills on Delta
Posted by: Maven on April 25, 2012 at 5:17 amFrom ACWA’s Water News:
“The Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee today rejected one Delta-related bill but approved two others opposed by ACWA and a coalition of water agencies and other organizations.
Failing passage was AB 2000 by Assembly Member Alyson Huber (D-El Dorado Hills.) The bill, as amended last week, would have made changes to the composition of the Delta Stewardship Council and required DWR to withdraw from the current Memorandum of Agreement under which the Bay Delta Conservation Plan is being planned and developed. It was strongly opposed by ACWA and the coalition, which said it could significantly delay the planning process currently under way. … “
Continue reading from ACWA’s Water News by clicking here.
Assemblyman Bill Berryhill passes key Delta legislation
Posted by: Maven on April 25, 2012 at 5:13 amFrom the website of Assemblyman Bill Berryhill:
“Assemblyman Bill Berryhill announced today that the Assembly Committee on Water, Parks and Wildlife passed out two common sense water measures, Assembly Bills 2421 and 2422.
AB 2421 requires that an independent third party Cost/Benefit analysis must be completed on any plan that is submitted as part of the Bay Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP). Many in the Delta have strongly expressed skepticism to the BDCP’s ability to achieve the co-equal goals that were mandated by the Legislature in 2009. Nearly all of the options being studied, including a tunnel that could divert the entire Sacramento River around the Delta, will have a significant financial burden on California.
“AB 2421 is a significant step towards ensuring that any project proposed to shift massive amounts of water around the Delta will be studied to understand the true impact on the Delta,” Assemblyman Berryhill said. “As a farmer and a resident of San Joaquin County I want to know how much that water will cost Californians and what will be impact on the farmers and ecosystem in the Delta.” … “
Continue reading at Assemblyman Berryhill’s website by clicking here.
Dan Bacher: Bill requiring cost-benefit analysis of peripheral canal clears committee
Posted by: Maven on April 25, 2012 at 5:11 amFrom Dan Bacher at IndyBay.org:
“The Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee today voted 10 to 2 to approve legislation requiring an independent cost-benefit analysis before committing the public to pay tens of billions of dollars to build a peripheral canal or tunnel to divert more Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta water.
A coalition of consumer, environmental, fishing and family farming groups strongly support the legislation, AB 2421 (B. Berryhill), while agribusiness groups, the California Chamber of Commerce and southern California water agencies oppose the bill.
The bill “requires that an independent third party costs and benefits of the Bay Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP) be submitted to the Legislature prior to the BDCP’s inclusion in the Delta Plan, or by June 30, 2013, whichever comes first.”
The legislation also requires that the third party conducting the analysis shall be chosen by one representative each from the Legislative Analyst’s Office, the Delta Protection Commission, and the State Water Contractors, Bill Berryhill (R-Ceres), told the Committee. “A fair and balanced analysis is all we want,” said Berryhill.
The maximum analysis cost will be limited to $1 million by the bill. … “
Continue reading from Dan Bacher at IndyBay.org by clicking here.
Restore the Delta press release: Consumer, environmental advocates succeed in passing cost-benefit analysis of peripheral canal/tunnel out of committee: How much would water rates rise? Who benefits?
Posted by: Maven on April 25, 2012 at 5:02 amFrom Restore the Delta, this press release:
“Consumer and environmental advocates today succeeded in winning Assembly Water, Parks & Wildlife Comm. approval for an independent cost-benefit analysis before committing the public to pay tens of billions of dollars to build a Peripheral Canal or Tunnel to take Delta water. The committee voted 10 to 2 to pass out AB 2421 (Berryhill). “Urban water users would pay billions of dollars for a massive Peripheral Canal or Tunnel. Those who’ll pay deserve to know how much they’d pay and how much benefit would go to those ratepayers,” Conner Everts, Executive Director of Southern California Watershed Alliance, told the committee. “There are numerous references to studies, but not one would require a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis.” Restore the Delta, Sierra Club California, the Planning & Conservation League, Clean Water Action, the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations, the Delta Coalition and Ducks Unlimited joined in the call for an independent cost-benefit analysis.
Kristin Lynch, Pacific Region Director of Food & Water Watch, told the committee, “It’s essential to have an independent analysis of who pays and who benefits before embarking on the largest public works project in the history of California. The BDCP could create a large potential financial exposure for the people of California. The people deserve to know the true cost they are taking on.””
Water Wired blog: Phil Isenberg: California bumps up against hard facts: Water and the Delta
Posted by: Maven on April 25, 2012 at 4:59 amFrom Water Wired:
“This morning I received an email with this in the subject line: “NAS Report on Bay-Delta — comments by Phil Isenberg”. “Hmmm…” I said. I served on the committee. [Self-serving warning!]
When I opened the Word document I saw that it was a speech given by Isenberg, Chair of the Delta Stewardship Council, to the California Water Law and Policy Conference on 20 April 2012.
Here is what greeted me as I started reading … “
Continue reading from the Water Wired blog by clicking here.
Tuesday’s top of the scroll: Capitol awash in Delta canal bills: One measure up for debate today seeks cost-benefit analysis of long-sought estuary bypass
Posted by: Maven on April 24, 2012 at 9:08 amFrom the Stockton Record:
“It’s a big day for the Delta at the state Capitol as legislators debate three bills intended either to add accountability to state water plans or to prematurely torpedo them – depending on which side you believe.
The bills by Delta-area lawmakers all target the proposed peripheral canal or tunnel, which would divert water around the estuary on its way to cities and farms up and down the state.
The most prominent of today’s bills would require a full cost-benefit analysis before a canal or tunnel could be built. … “
Continue reading from the Stockton Record by clicking here. This article is behind the paywall at the Stockton Record. Login or free registration required to read it. A free registration will give you 20 article reads per month.
Groups call for analysis of cost of peripheral canal/tunnel
Posted by: Maven on April 24, 2012 at 9:06 amFrom the Central Valley Business Times:
“Consumer and environmental groups are asking that a cost-benefit analysis be completed before the state plunges ahead with a multi-billion dollar peripheral canal around the Delta or an equally costly tunnel beneath it.
The construction is favored by the Brown Administration.
“Urban water users would pay tens of billions of dollars to construct a massive peripheral canal or tunnel. Those who’ll pay deserve to know how much they’d pay and how much benefit would go to those ratepayers,” says Conner Everts, executive director of the Southern California Watershed Alliance. “There are numerous references to studies, but not one would require a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis.” … “
Continue reading from the Central Valley Business Times by clicking here.
Delta Stewardship Council: Letter to Assemblyman Logue in opposition of AB 1871
Posted by: Maven on April 24, 2012 at 9:03 amFrom Phil Isenberg and Randy Fiorini of the Delta Stewardship Council, this letter to Assemblyman Dan Logue:
“Dear Assemblyman Logue:
On Behalf of the Delta Stewardship Council, I regret to inform you of our opposition to AB 1871. This bill would prohibit the Council from adopting the Delta Plan until the Bay Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP) is completed.
In the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Reform Act of 2009, the Legislature declared that the ” … Delta watershed and California’s water infrastructure are in crisis and existing Delta policies are not sustainable.” In order to address this crisis, the Legislature directed the Council to develop, adopt, and implement a comprehensive resources management plan, the Delta Plan, that furthers the coequal goals of providing a more reliable water supply for California and protecting, restoring, and enhancing the Delta ecosystem in a manner that protects the unique values of the Delta as an evolving place. … “
Read the full text of the letter by clicking here.
Delta Stewardship Council: A letter to Mr. Daniel Hancock, Chair of the Little Hoover Commission, from DSC Chair Phil Isenberg and Vice Chair Randy Fiorini on why they feel the DSC should remain an independent state agency
Posted by: Maven on April 24, 2012 at 9:02 amFrom the Delta Stewardship Council, a letter from Phil Isenberg and Randy Fiorini to Mr. Daniel Hancock of the Little Hoover Commission as to why they feel the Council should remain an independent state agency:
“Dear Mr. Hancock:
Governor Jerry Brown has proposed Government Reorganization Plan 2012 that includes merger of the Delta Stewardship Council into the Natural Resources Agency (Agency). We are opposed to the proposal as it affects the Council.
The Delta Stewardship Council is proud of its close work with the Natural Resources Agency and other departments and agencies of the state. Many of our operational functions are currently handled by other state agencies, including:
- The Attorney General is the main provider of our legal services,
- The state information technology system we use is linked through the Department of Water Resources,
- The DSC personnel functions are handled by CalFire, and
- The Department of General Services provides accounting services for us.
None of these agencies have used their operational support to influence our policy determinations. We also acknowledge that nothing in the draft bill language appears to changes our statutory designation as ‘an independent state agency’, nor appears to limit our existing authority.
However, our concerns remain. … “
Read the full text of the letter by clicking here.
Alex Breitler’s blog: The appearance of independence
Posted by: Maven on April 24, 2012 at 8:56 amFrom Alex Breitler’s blog:
“The Delta Stewardship Council officially opposes Gov. Jerry Brown’s plan to move it under the auspices of the state Resources Agency.
Read Council Chair Phil Isenberg’s letter here. [Link available on click-through, or just look at the post before this one.]
The take-home message: “A merger would undercut public confidence that the Council is an ‘independent’ body that will determine whether the Department of Fish and Game has correctly concluded that the BDCP complies with state and federal law.” … “
Continue reading from Alex Breitler’s blog by clicking here.
Facts and information on California’s water and environmental debates
Posted by: Maven on April 24, 2012 at 8:26 amThe Delta Stewardship Council has posted a 32-page pdf document that covers a multitude of issues focusing on the Delta titled “Facts and Information on California’s Water and Environmental Debates“. Click here to download the pdf.
Sunday’s top of the scroll: Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta faces deadline for restoring fish habitat
Posted by: Maven on April 22, 2012 at 6:29 amFrom the Sacramento Bee:
“Chipps Island is packed with stories. The 1,000-acre tract in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta has been the stage for a variety of human scheming and struggling.
Legend has it the island once was owned by the Italian Mafia, and a spat there between mobsters resulted in one being run over by a bulldozer.
The island was also, until 1956, the terminus of a railroad that carried produce and people from Sacramento. A ferry then floated whole train cars across the Sacramento River to Pittsburg in an era before big bridges. … “
Continue reading from the Sacramento Bee by clicking here.
Phil Isenberg: Logue’s Delta Plan concerns misplaced
Posted by: Maven on April 22, 2012 at 6:23 amFrom the Appeal-Democrat, this commentary by Phil Isenberg, chair of the Delta Stewardship Council:
“State Assemblyman Dan Logue’s recent opinion piece (“Delta Plan could devastate North State”) expressed concerns about the Delta Plan. Those concerns are misplaced. Let me share some facts and the law that guides the Delta Stewardship Council and the Delta Plan.
The Delta Stewardship Council, by law, cannot set flow standards. Further, state law now requires balancing the state’s water supply reliability and its environmental needs — the co-equal goals — which is a guiding principle of the Delta Plan process. The law also requires that state agencies use the best available science and all operational tools to find that right balance. … “
Continue reading Phil Isenberg’s commentary at the Appeal-Democrat by clicking here.
Dan Bacher: Brown celebrates John Muir Day as he fast-tracks peripheral canal
Posted by: Maven on April 22, 2012 at 6:03 amFrom Dan Bacher at IndyBay.org:
“Governor Jerry Brown issued a proclamation Saturday celebrating John Muir Day – at the same time he is fast-tracking the construction of a peripheral canal or tunnel that is expected to hasten the extinction of Central Valley chinook salmon, Delta smelt, longfin smelt and other fish species.
“John Muir (1838-1914) was a giant of a man,” Brown proclaimed. “His vision of the pristine landscape as a source of spiritual renewal has become central to our understanding of the relationship between humanity and nature.”
“In addition to his scientific discoveries, engineering innovations and writings that still inspire us today, Muir’s advocacy was instrumental in the creation of the National Park System, one of the world’s great ecological treasures,” Brown continued.
“Today, as a way to honor Muir’s teachings and help keep his legacy alive, I suggest a visit to one of California’s public open spaces—national park, state park or any other unspoiled wilderness—which he strived so zealously to preserve,” said Brown. … “
Continue reading from Dan Bacher at IndyBay.org by clicking here.
Thursday’s top of the scroll: Hundreds of millions spent to protect Delta levees. Is it enough?
Posted by: Maven on April 19, 2012 at 8:39 amFrom the Contra Costa Times:
“Gilbert Cosio’s truck rolled to a stop on a Delta levee recently fortified with $4 million worth of rock and engineering.
On one side is a large lake formed when a different levee broke and flooded the area known as Franks Tract in the 1930s. On the other, grazing land and a much smaller lake formed when the fragile levee here failed and was quickly repaired in 1980.
Since then, hundreds of millions of dollars in voter-approved bond funds have been spent to reinforce levees that corral and shape today’s Delta. For the first time, the state is on the verge of meeting a federal mandate to protect an area that is a key source of water for 23 million Californians and about 2 million acres of farmland.
But is it enough … “
Continue reading from the Contra Costa Times by clicking here.
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