Clamicide: Scientists prepare to eradicate larger areas of Asian clam infestation this summer
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on March 20, 2010 at 5:07 amFrom the Tahoe Daily Tribune:
“SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. — Clams beware — the scientists are out to get you; consider the Fourth of July your judgment day.
This summer Tahoe scientists will continue to eradicate portions of the Asian clam population in Lake Tahoe by putting rubber tarps over areas of their nesting grounds. As proven by tests last summer, the tarps suffocate the clams and can kill off small populations. After the Fourth of July, scientists will test the method on larger areas — two half-acre plots near Lakeside Marina and Marla Bay.
“We don’t have a day nailed down yet; we need to make sure we are operating in a manner that works for the water purveyors,” said Ted Thayer, Tahoe Regional Planning Agency Aquatic Invasive Species Program manager.
The thumbnail-size clams were discovered in small groups in 2002. Since then, they have grown in population and cover many areas along Tahoe’s southeast shore. … “
Continue reading this article from the Tahoe Daily Tribune by clicking here.
Asian clam removal to begin in July at Tahoe
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on March 18, 2010 at 5:15 am
From the Reno Gazette-Journal:
“A coalition of agencies will begin July 5 to eradicate populations of Asian clams invading Lake Tahoe’s bottom, mainly in the southeast corner but also in other areas, including Emerald Bay.
After tests last year that used plastic bottom barriers to kill clams by robbing them of food and oxygen, a larger effort will start in the summer.
“We’re moving forward with the bottom barrier approach. It’s effective enough,” said Jeff Cowen, community liaison for the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency. “We’re going to lay down enough to cover a whole acre.”
An acre will be covered at South Lake Tahoe’s Lakeside Marina and another acre at Marla Bay, where clam excretion was linked to a bloom of stinking algae during the summer of 2008. Eradication of clams in Emerald Bay is slated to commence in 2011. … “
Continue reading this article from the Reno Gazette-Journal by clicking here.
Paiute report may pave way for creek poisoning
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on March 17, 2010 at 7:04 amFrom the Stockton Record:
“An effort to reintroduce America’s rarest trout – the Paiute cutthroat – to 11 miles of wilderness stream appears to be back on track after state game officials Tuesday issued a final environmental impact report for the project.
The Paiute cutthroat is a paler cousin to the Lahontan cutthroat that has been genetically isolated in a few streams in what is now Alpine County since at least the end of the last ice age 6,000 years ago, scientists say.
But they also say the trout’s in danger of disappearing because other trout species – especially rainbows – have been introduced into streams where the rainbows can interbreed with the Paiutes.
State and federal game officials teamed up on a plan to poison 11 miles of lower Silver King Creek near Markleeville to eradicate the non-native trout and clear the way to expand the range of the Paiute cutthroat, which now live mostly in upper Silver King Creek above Llewellyn Falls. … “
Continue reading this article from the Stockton Record by clicking here.
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$1.5M sewer-fix demand rescinded
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on March 13, 2010 at 7:40 amFrom the Union Democrat:
“A series of state citations that nearly forced Angels Camp to pay for a $1.5 million upgrade to its water treatment plan was formally rescinded in a letter received Tuesday by the city.
The three-page note largely brings to a close an issue that deadlocked the council for months — due to the May 2009 death of Councilman Paul Raggio — and contributed to the resignation of Plant Manager Carol Woolf.
“It’s such a big deal,” said Mayor Jack Lynch. “Everyone is very, very pleased about it.”
Angels Camp had been cited in November by the California Department of Public Health for producing more water than allowed by its permit on 16 different days in July and August of 2007 and 2008. … “
Continue reading this article from the Union Democrat by clicking here.
Eminent Domain issues continue to plague major pipeline projects at Nevada Irrigation District
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on March 1, 2010 at 7:32 amFrom YubaNet.com:
“Senior Right of Way Agent Matthew Crowe has become a regular speaker at Nevada Irrigation District’s board meetings in the past several months. In December 2009, Crowe requested a change in the district’s practice dealing with eminent domain issues. Historically, it had been the preference of NID’s board to be apprised of any easement problems before making a final decision to send out notices of intent (NOI) to consider commencement of eminent domain proceedings. But Crowe and other NID staff called for placing the decision solely in the hands of NID’s general manager.
This request was met with overwhelming resistance from board members, who refused to be bypassed in the NOI decision-making process.
Then followed three consecutive board meetings where Crowe stood before NID directors and asked for approval to send out NOIs to over 17 property owners in Nevada and Placer Counties. Crowe maintained that NID has made a concerted effort in achieving successful outcomes on most of the easements necessary for three pending pipeline projects, Banner Cascade, Cement Hill and Mount Vernon Road. But while right of way negotiations continue, he has said that construction delays will be likely if some easements are not acquired soon. … “
Continue reading this article at YubaNet.com by clicking here.
Gold Rush toxics in our water: What can be done?
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on February 27, 2010 at 7:39 amFrom the Grass Valley Union:
“If it works, the Nevada Irrigation District’s novel plan to clear toxic Gold Rush mercury from Combie Reservoir could be an answer to an age-old problem in the Sierra Nevada range.
But it won’t be cheap.
District officials are asking Sen. Dianne Feinstein to support an appropriation of $7.8 million over three years to fund the bulk of the $9 million project. The request was under review Friday, according to Gil Duran of Feinstein’s Washington, D.C., office.
“The project costs far exceed the financial capability of the district,” General Manager Ron Nelson said in a letter he recently sent to Feinstein. “Federal funding is appropriate, as widespread mercury contamination was the result of uncontrolled hydraulic mining in the late 1800s.” … “
Continue reading this article from The Union by clicking here.
South Lake Tahoe students seek to restore native fish: “It’s a small fish after all” answers Disney Planet Challenge
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on February 26, 2010 at 6:12 amFrom YubaNet.com:
“Stepping up to the Disney Planet Challenge, elementary school students in South Lake Tahoe, Calif., have partnered with a local nonprofit and government agencies on a project that they hope will help restore Tahoe’s native fish, while winning the students a trip to Disney Land.
Mr. Comlossy’s fifth-grade class at the Lake Tahoe Environmental Magnet School interviewed numerous organizations and agencies proposing projects to protect Lake Tahoe and its surrounding ecosystem, before selecting a proposal from the U.S. Forest Service and local nonprofit California Trout. The project, entitled by students, “It’s a Small Fish After All,” proposes to do something never done before in their watershed: raise and release native non-game minnows for recovery back into Tahoe streams.
In addition to California Trout and the Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, the Tahoe Resource Conservation District, California Department of Fish and Game, and the US Fish & Wildlife Service are assisting the students in reaching their goal.
The project aims to enhance populations of native Mountain Whitefish and Speckled dace in local streams by rearing them in the classroom, improving their stream habitat prior to release and educating legislators and the community about the importance of these small fish. … “
Continue reading this article at YubaNet.com by clicking here.
Nevada senators testify in favor of Tahoe bill; Feinstein urges Senate Panel to support major legislation to save Lake Tahoe
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on February 25, 2010 at 6:50 am
From the Tahoe Daily Tribune:
“Nevada Sens. Harry Reid and John Ensign testified in the Senate Wednesday morning in support of the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act of 2009.
The $415 million bill would provide eight years of funding for fuels reduction, environmental improvement programs, watershed restoration and storm water management. Reid is the bill’s sponsor, and Ensign and California Sens. Diane Feinstein and Barbara Boxer are cosponsors. The two gave testimony in Washington, in front of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, which Boxer chairs.
“This legislation does much more than carry existing programs forward,” Reid said in his testimony. “This legislation makes science a priority, calls for better management in the Lake Tahoe Basin and takes aggressive action against threats that were simply unthinkable ten years ago.” … “
Continue reading this story from the Tahoe Daily Tribune by clicking here.
Senator Feinstein added her name to the list of senators supporting the legislation:
“U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) today urged the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, chaired by Senator Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), to support the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act of 2009. The bill would authorize $415 million over eight years to improve water clarity, combat invasive species, reduce the wildfire threat and restore the environment.
Following are Senator Feinstein’s remarks as delivered:
“Thank you very much Madame Chairman. I particularly want to thank you for working with me on this bill. This is the second Tahoe restoration bill, which will go for eight years.
All this began when President Clinton was the guest and star at the first Tahoe Summit, almost 13 years ago, and this really called everyone’s attention to the plight of what was a deteriorating situation at a lake that is only one of two clear cold-water lakes in the world like this, and certainly the jewel in the crown of California and Nevada. … “
Hear more from Senator Feinstein via YubaNet.com by clicking here.
Lake Tahoe regulators hope ‘green’ development will help keep lake blue
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on February 21, 2010 at 7:39 am
From the Sacramento Bee:
“Development takes much of the blame for the long decline in Lake Tahoe’s legendary clarity. Now, in a move they admit seems “counterintuitive,” regulators are counting on more housing, ski lodges and hotel rooms to help reverse it..
Although construction of new projects has all but ceased at the sensitive Sierra lake, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) has launched a new initiative – dubbed the Community Enhancement Program – with the goal of attracting a different breed of builder.
The idea: to replace blighted or environmentally damaging projects from the 1950s and ’60s with new, “green” buildings that not only fit in with their surroundings but also would hold back lake-clouding runoff.
The trick will be for developers to find a way to profit from their projects while navigating what many consider to be the most highly regulated and closely scrutinized review process in the country. … “
Read more from the Sacramento Bee by clicking here.
Photo of Lake Tahoe by flickr photographer Mel Parkington (Creative Commons).
Nevada Irrigation District seeks federal funds on landmark mercury removal project
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on February 19, 2010 at 6:30 amFrom YubaNet.com:
“GRASS VALLEY, Calif. Feb. 18, 2010 – Approximately 60 miles northeast of Sacramento on the western slope of the northern Sierra Nevada foothills lies Combie Reservoir. Part of Nevada Irrigation District’s lower storage division, Combie sits behind Van Giesen Dam, built in 1928. Over 80 years later, the dam has not only restricted the waters of the Bear River, it has also impounded hundreds of thousands of tons of mercury-laden sediment behind its concrete edifice.
Today, NID is in the planning stages of an innovative, one-of-a-kind project to extract 100 pounds of potentially lethal mercury from roughly 200,000 tons of sediment sitting behind Van Giesen Dam in Combie Reservoir. If the project successfully demonstrates that mercury can be removed from sediments — without contributing to unacceptable levels of mercury downstream — it could become a model for other reservoir maintenance programs as a best management practice (BMP).
The total cost of the project is estimated to be around $9 million. While NID, along with the State of California (through the Sierra Nevada Conservancy), private industry and others will contribute to the overall cost, the district hopes to receive additional funds from the federal government. … “
Read more from YubaNet.com by clicking here.
Despite pending litigation, NID edges closer to construction on DS Canal project
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on February 17, 2010 at 6:20 amFrom YubaNet.com:
“While Nevada Irrigation District remains locked in negotiations over a lawsuit alleging CEQA violations, on Feb. 10 its board of directors awarded the contract on the contentious DS Flume Replacement Project to T&S Construction Co., of Sacramento. According to Associate Engineer Tonia Tabucchi Herrera, the bid by T&S Construction was the only quote considered for this project.
Herrera informed board members that T&S Construction, as a specialty contractor, performed work on DS Canal flume #12. “They have developed special tools for this kind of project,” she added.
NID staff documents indicate that a “reasonable price” was submitted for the project. The construction contract was approved at just under $5 million. This figure includes an addition to the project — replacement of the Gracie Road Culvert — a modification that has occurred since certification of the EIR. … “
Read more from YubaNet.com by clicking here.
Discussion begins on invasive species program for Tahoe’s surrounding reservoirs
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on February 12, 2010 at 7:55 am
From the Sierra Sun:
“TRUCKEE, Calif. — Lake Tahoe may be unique, but an island it is not.
That’s the thinking behind the Tahoe Resource Conservation District’s latest idea to expand its fight against invasive species to neighboring lakes like Donner, Independence, Stampede, Boca and Prosser Creek Reservoir.
“It’s in everybody’s best interest,” said Dave Roberts, district manager for the conservation district. “If (invasive species) get into one of those lakes, it’ll be that much harder to keep them out of Tahoe.”
Working with $231,000 from the Truckee Meadow Water Authority’s Truckee River Fund, the conservation district will work with local government, law enforcement and conservation groups to keep quagga and zebra mussels out of area lakes and reservoirs. … “
Read more from the Sierra Sun by clicking here.
Photo of sunrise at Donner Lake by flickr photographer johnnymd314, who notes that he froze his butt off to get that shot. (You can click on the photo to see more of his pictures.)
Polluted groundwater sites on all ends of South Tahoe
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on February 9, 2010 at 6:24 amFrom Lake Tahoe News:
“Chemicals polluting the groundwater throughout the Lake Tahoe Basin on the California side are keeping engineers working full time. Most toxins are related to a chemical used in dry cleaning and the now banned fuel additive MTBE.
A temporary structure has been erected behind the Y transit center in the Raley’s shopping center in South Lake Tahoe to house a remediation system.
At this site tetrachloroethylene (PCE) has been found in the groundwater. It came from the laundry facility that used to have a self-serve dry cleaning machine. PCE is a chemical often used in dry cleaning. It has been in the soil at this location since the 1970s.
“As a result of that operation, leaks associated with PCE have contaminated the soil and groundwater,” said Chuck Curtis, supervising engineer at Lahontan.. … “
Read more from Lake Tahoe News by clicking here.
Nevada Irrigation District continues community and congressional outreach on mercury remediation project
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on February 7, 2010 at 7:34 amFrom YubaNet.com:
“During Nevada Irrigation District’s board meeting last on Jan. 27, Assistant Manager Tim Crough shared a DVD he and others developed in the course of working on NID’s mercury removal program at Lake Combie.
According to the video, 26 million pounds of mercury were brought to Sierra Nevada water sources during the era of hydraulic mining. Ten to 30 percent of this mercury ended up in the environment and continues to move through Sierra rivers with every storm event.
NID’s canals and reservoirs lie downstream from many historic gold mining sites where mercury was used. Mercury-laden gravels have accumulated behind many dams in the Sierra, including the one impounding NID’s Combie Reservoir.
When mercury is methylated by bacteria and subsequently ingested by phytoplankton at the bottom of the food chain, it eventually makes its way up the chain to large predator fish like striped bass. These fish typically register high levels of mercury — and consumption of bass and other fish with similar levels of mercury can be hazardous to human health. … “
Read more from YubaNet.com by clicking here.
Pacific Legal Foundation: Controversy on the shores of Lake Tahoe
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on February 5, 2010 at 7:44 amFrom the Pacific Legal Foundation’s Liberty Blog:
“On January, 29, 2010, the Sierra Sun ran a story glorifying the State Lands Commission’s (SLC) decision to deny a Truckee landowner from the right to exclude the public from his land. The story declares the victory of public will over individual rights, with a dramatic picture of a man cutting down his fence, and the rugged snowy shores of Lake Tahoe as the backdrop. The headline triumphantly announces: “Public Wins Rights to Speedboat Beach.” This is hardly objective journalism.
The article proclaims that the removal of the fence marks “the final act of a play that has gone on for decades involving disputes about whether or not nearly a quarter-mile of beach front between Kings Beach and Crystal Bay, Nev., is private property.” I dare say that the Sierra Sun has prematurely declared victory in the public’s war on private property rights on Lake Tahoe. … “
Read more from the Liberty Blog by clicking here.
NID Snow Survey: 106% of average water content
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on February 2, 2010 at 7:50 amFrom YubaNet.com:
“GRASS VALLEY Feb. 1, 2010 – Stormy conditions through much of January have boosted snowpack water content on local mountain watershed to 106 percent of average for this time of year.
In the official Feb. 1 snow survey (conducted Jan. 28-29), Nevada Irrigation District snow surveyors measured snowpack depth and water content on six mountain snow courses at elevations of 4,850 feet to 7,800 feet.
Average water content for five upper division courses was measured at 22.9 inches, which equals 106 percent of the 21.5-inch Feb. 1 average.
“We’re off to a much better start than we were at this time last year when we were at 58 percent of average,” said NID Operations Supervisor Sue Sindt. “Having near average snowpack and water storage levels puts us in a fairly comfortable position for this time of year.” … “
Read more from YubaNet.com by clicking here.
Lake Tahoe beach fence — after years of public v. private dispute — comes down
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on January 29, 2010 at 7:44 amFrom the North Lake Tahoe Bonanza:
“BROCKWAY, Calif. — Truckee Fence owner Jimmy Russell rarely works in front of a crowd.
But Thursday, Russell became the star of the final act of a play that has gone on for decades involving disputes about whether or not nearly a quarter-mile of beach front between Kings Beach and Crystal Bay, Nev., is private property.
Nearby residents watched and took pictures as Russell cut, dug and pulled a large metal fence from Speedboat Beach, which during the summer would have crowds packed up next to the fence. The barrier, installed by neighboring landowners, prevented the public from accessing nearly 90 percent of the recreation and scenic area.
Now, it will be open for everyone.
After decades of disputes, the property-line argument escalated last summer when landowners Robert and Carol McNeil and Marc Desautels posted yellow “No Trespassing” signs on the beachfront, between the high and low water marks. … “
Read more from the North Lake Tahoe Bonanza by clicking here.
Rain, snow increase Tahoe’s lake level
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on January 28, 2010 at 8:05 amFrom the Tahoe Daily Tribune:
“After almost 10 days of rain, snow and everything in between Lake Tahoe’s is flirting with it’s natural rim. Beginning Jan. 20 the lake rose to just above 6223 feet and for the past week has ebbed and flowed, settling at 6223.05 feet Tuesday evening.
However, the lake’s rise is still below the average increase for January, said Chad Blanchard, chief deputy water master.
“It was definitely a good series of storms even though we ended up with much less precipitation than originally predicted,” Blanchard said. “We’ll take it.”
The snow storms also nearly doubled the water content of the snowpack in the northern Sierra Nevada, bringing it to 117 percent of normal. … “
Read more from the Tahoe Daily Tribune by clicking here.
New water district could open area up to more development
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on January 28, 2010 at 8:03 amFrom the Grass Valley Union:
“A proposed water district that would stabilize the drinking supply for an area in southern Nevada County could provide a link for more development.
The Nevada Irrigation District Board Wednesday unanimously approved the formation of the Ranchero Treated Water Group Project for 119 parcels on East Hacienda Drive, Pioneer Way and several other roads — but it is not a done deal. The district would open the north of Lake of the Pines and along Magnolia Road to more development.
Property owners still have to vote to set up the district, which would charge them an annual fee for the water service and an estimated $50,000 per hookup. … “
Read more from the Grass Valley Union by clicking here.
Sierra reservoirs still low halfway through the water season
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on January 27, 2010 at 8:03 amFrom the Reno Gazette-Journal:
“The snowpack providing the water that flows from taps in the Truckee Meadows reached average levels after recent snowstorms continued a needed contribution to the mountaintops.
On Tuesday, the Truckee River Basin’s snowpack reached 100 percent of where it should be for the date, while the Lake Tahoe Basin’s was measured at 105 percent. The numbers were stronger to the south, where the Carson River Basin’s snowpack was 121 percent.
After dropping to around 75 percent, the Tahoe-Truckee snowpack was restored by more than a week of back-to-back storms that dropped 6 to 10 feet of snow in the Sierra’s higher elevations. Another foot or more of snow fell in the higher elevations Monday, with showers continuing Tuesday. … “
Read more from the Reno Gazette-Journal by clicking here.
Restoring watershed function critical for Lake Tahoe
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on January 23, 2010 at 6:32 am
From the Tahoe Daily Tribune, this commentary by Joanne Marchetta, Executive Director of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency:
“A bird’s-eye view of the Upper Truckee River 200 years ago would have appeared much different than today. From the snow-encased headwaters in the mountains west of South Lake Tahoe to the wide, marshy mouth on the Lake Tahoe shore, the wild river found its own path. When flows were high, the river spilled over its banks and the meadows, marshes and streams were submerged. The marshy depths of seasonal ponds, the tall grasses, and the tree tops teemed with wildlife. After the spring melt, waters receded. Meadows of wildflowers unfolded before lush stands of forest. These natural processes filtered pollutants that otherwise would have entered the Lake. The Upper Truckee River is the largest tributary entering Lake Tahoe.
Years of gravel mining, grazing, logging, fire suppression and channelizing have altered the Upper Truckee significantly. It has been squeezed by urban development into a broken system. Along its banks are golf courses, an airport, bridges and roads. The waterway skips so quickly over the land now that once-abundant groundwater aquifers are rarely filled. At the mouth, marshes have been converted to a subdivision of waterfront homes. When flows are heavy, the river delivers a swirling plume of sediment to Lake Tahoe that is clearly visible from far overhead. … “
Read more from the Tahoe Daily Tribune by clicking here.
Water conservation panned at Sonora City Council meeting
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on January 22, 2010 at 7:50 amFrom the Union Democrat:
“The Sonora City Council saw heated resistance Tuesday to a state-mandated water efficiency ordinance, and approved a day celebrating the return of Vietnam Veterans.
The council tried to find a way around a state mandate on how Sonorans water their lawns, but ultimately failed.
The California Legislature passed down a requirement that all cities in California take on a water efficiency ordinance that controls the way some properties are landscaped in an attempt to save water.
“Let me start by saying that I’m just the messenger,” said Community Development Director Ed Wyllie.
Commercial properties with landscaping over 2,500 square feet and residential properties with landscaping over 5,000 square feet will be affected, but only if they have to go to the city to get a building or landscaping permit, plan check, or design review, according to the model ordinance from the state. … “
Read more from The Union Democrat by clicking here.
Mono-logue: NASA study showing Mono Lake warming – update
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on January 20, 2010 at 4:18 pmFrom the Mono-logue:
“Ever since Bartshe wrote about a NASA study that shows Mono Lake is warming rapidly, we have done additional analysis, discussed it with Mono Lake experts, and tried to figure out what it means.
Dr. David Herbst of the Sierra Nevada Aquatic Research Laboratory says that the NASA results “are consistent with elevated summer minimum air temperatures that have previously been documented.” He also found that Martis Creek, a creek north of Lake Tahoe with the best temperature record in the Sierra, has warmed 2 degrees C since the mid-1970s (in June, July, August). Nearby Sagehen Creek is groundwater-dominated, and there the summer minimum temperature was unchanged. Herbst thinks groundwater flows could be important for keeping temperatures cool in streams. … “
Read more from the Mono-logue by clicking here.
Don’t sign, Governor Herbert! says editorial; Snake Valley water pact needs work
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on January 10, 2010 at 7:22 amFrom the Salt Lake Tribune, this editorial:
“Gov. Gary Herbert apparently has decided to sign off on the proposed Snake Valley water agreement with Nevada. We join the Utah Medical Association, officials of Salt Lake and Millard counties, and members of the Snake Valley Aquifer Advisory Council in urging him not to do it.
Though the agreement and the accompanying pact between Utah and the Southern Nevada Water Authority to guide environmental monitoring and management are complex, the reasons for our dissent are simple. We believe that the agreement risks overallocating the groundwater beneath Snake Valley to the detriment of people in the valley and farther downwind in Utah. While we appreciate that the agreement allows water officials in the two states to adjust those allocations downward, based on further studies, the provisions that would bring that about are not precise enough.
Simply put, we believe that the aquifer cannot support the withdrawal of 36,000 acre-feet of water per year that SNWA likely would obtain under this agreement. … “
Read more from the Salt Lake Tribune by clicking here.
‘Typical’ start to winter snowfall disappointing to state water managers
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on January 1, 2010 at 8:39 am
From the Tahoe Daily Tribune:
“SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. — Regardless of the snow falling on state water watchers Wednesday morning, the outlook for California’s drought stricken reservoirs remains less than optimistic.
Frank Gehrke, chief of the California Cooperative Snow Survey, and John Deam, a water resources engineering associate with the California Department of Water Resources, concluded the first round of statewide snow surveys at Phillips Station on Wednesday morning.
The snow surveyors found the 38.5 inches of snow at Phillips station — near the entrance of Sierra at Tahoe ski resort — contained the equivalent of 9 inches of water, about 75 percent of normal for the area at this time of year.
The measurement is a familiar one to snow surveyors.
“What we’re finding this year is really close to last year at the same time and same location,” Gehrke said. … “
Read more from the Tahoe Daily Tribune by clicking here.
NASA study confirms warmer Tahoe water temps
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on January 1, 2010 at 8:33 am
From the Tahoe Daily Tribune:
“SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. — A recent NASA study showed Lake Tahoe’s water is warming twice as quickly as regional air temperature, lending weight to predictions of warming lake temperatures made by UC Davis researchers in 2008.
The study, published in November, shows from 1992 to 2008, Tahoe’s surface waters warmed a mean .23 degrees Fahrenheit a year from 1992 to 2008 — a 3.7 degree raise in total. Air temperatures recorded in Tahoe City increased .1 degrees annually during the same time period.
Researchers from the Tahoe Environmental Research Center, UC Davis and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., used 18 years of temperature data from satellite sensors. They studied Tahoe, Clear Lake, Lake Almanor and Mono Lake in California and Pyramid and Walker Lake in Nevada.
“This isn’t just Tahoe — other lakes in the region experiencing similar rates of warming,” said TERC Director Geoffrey Schladow. … “
Read more from the Tahoe Daily Tribune by clicking here.
Picture of Lake Tahoe by flickr photographer The Tahoe Guy (Creative Commons).
Sierra resorts boastful of snow conditions
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on January 1, 2010 at 8:25 am
From the Sacramento Bee:
“While state water watchers this week said snow measurements were below average in the Sierra Nevada, resort operators seem pleased with the winter so far.
The snow has come at a great time of year — when children are out of school and families can travel.
“Conditions are awesome,” said Savannah Cowley, spokeswoman for Squaw Valley USA.
She said the resort has received 13 feet of snow this season. About 125 inches alone have fallen in the month of December.
“It has been snowing all month and it has been super-cold,” she said. … “
Read more from the Sacramento Bee by clicking here.
Picture of Sierra skiers by flickr photographer Sir Jonathan (Creative Commons).
Sierra stone basins may be Miwok salt ‘factory’
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on December 30, 2009 at 8:07 am
From the San Francisco Chronicle:
“Somewhere in the Sierra Nevada, a granite terrace the size of a football field holds hundreds of mysterious stone basins representing what geologists believe is one of the earliest known “factories” created and used by ancient Miwok Indians to make tons of salt to trade with tribes up and down California.
James G. Moore, a geologist with the U.S. Geological Survey in Menlo Park, learned of the strangely pitted terrace from detailed maps made more than a century ago and hiked the region in May to study what he determined were clearly hand-hewn objects.
He examined 369 of the circular artifacts only a few yards from two streams of saltwater fed by a nearby spring and a lake that was equally salty.
Moore and his colleague at the USGS, Michael F. Diggles, believe the circular basins were handmade by the Miwok people in an impressive display of early technology. … “
Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle by clicking here.
Feds consider plan to raise Sierra Nevada dam
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on December 25, 2009 at 8:57 am
From the Silicon Valley Mercury News:
“The government is considering a plan to raise the dam at Stampede Reservoir north of Truckee to give it more capacity during extreme floods. The federal Bureau of Reclamation is scheduled to complete a draft environmental assessment of the project by early 2010.
Bureau spokesman Pete Lucero says the agency is considering two alternatives: raising the dam by 11 feet or doing nothing at all. … “
Read more from the Silicon Valley Mercury News by clicking here.
Nevada Irrigation District news: Project to deliver water outside district boundaries; budget worries
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on December 16, 2009 at 6:07 amFrom YubaNet.com:
“Following a presentation by Special Projects Manager Brian Powell at Nevada Irrigation District’s recent board meeting (Dec. 9), directors approved a negative declaration on the district’s proposed Clipper Creek Siphon Replacement project. Designed to replace 3900 feet of currently unreliable Techite pipe (a reinforced plastic mortar material) with a new steel pipeline, the project is part of the district’s plan to increase annual investment in its strategic raw water conveyance infrastructure for purposes of maintaining service and meeting future demand.
Several aspects of this project make it unique. From a CEQA standpoint, the initial study and negative declaration utilize mitigation measures from the previously approved 2007 Lower Cascade/Banner Cascade EIR. Replacement of the Clipper Creek siphon will occur simultaneously with the Banner Cascade project to take advantage of potential cost savings. The project is also significant because it will provide water to some new customers outside NID’s boundaries on Banner Mountain.
“This is the first time in recent history that we are delivering water outside district boundaries,” Director John Drew observed. … “
More from YubaNet.com by clicking here.
Also from YubaNet.com, more Nevada Irrigation District news:
“Back in November, Nevada Irrigation District’s Finance Manager Marie Owens offered a sobering forecast about the district’s future finances. Specifically, she pointed to several large capital infrastructure projects either in progress or scheduled to begin within the next few years.
“I’m going on the record, if we spend this money, we are going off the cliff,” Owens told NID directors at the district’s Nov. 18 board meeting. “And we cannot borrow money to pay for operations.”
Anyone who owns their own business knows that while it is sometimes fiscally prudent to leverage assets for capital improvement projects, borrowing money to keep the doors open is financially unwise.
Fast forward to NID’s most recent board meeting (Dec. 9) where directors voted 4-1 to drop rate increases in 2010 to a level 50 percent below a schedule approved earlier this year. Instead of the previously-approved 5.4 percent rate increase, NID’s board voted to adopt a 2.65 average rate adjustment for 2010. … ”
Read more of this story from YubaNet.com by clicking here.
Lake Tahoe weather: Recent snowstorm great for skiers, not so great for snow pack, lake level
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on December 9, 2009 at 8:03 am
From the North Lake Tahoe Bonanza:
“LAKE TAHOE — Light, fluffy snow may be great for those on the slopes, but hydrologists look for wetter, denser white stuff when it comes to raising Lake Tahoe’s level.
“When you get out into this powder that sinks up to your waist when you step in it, that’s great,” said Dan Greenlee, Water Supply Specialist with the Natural Resources Conservation Service. “It’s really the wet sloppy Sierra cement that we want for our water supply and feeding Lake Tahoe next summer.”
The 30 inches of snow that fell during this past weekend’s storm was only 6.5 percent water by volume, said Randall Osterhuber of the Central Sierra Snow Lab on Donner Summit.
“If you think of a very cold storm, there just is not as much water in the system as there might be in a warmer system,” said Frank Gehrke, Chief of California Cooperative Snow Surveys Program. … “
Read more from the North Lake Tahoe Bonanza by clicking here.
Photo credit: Laurel Owen, U.S. Forest Service
Commentary: Renewal on the South Yuba River
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on December 7, 2009 at 6:14 amFrom YubaNet.com:
“NEVADA CITY, Calif. Dec. 5, 2009 – In this season of celebration and renewal, the South Yuba River Citizens League (SYRCL) Board of Directors would like to share some reflections and successes from 2009 and our vision for the coming year.
Like countless businesses and nonprofits around the state and country, in 2009 SYRCL faced enormous financial challenges just to keep our doors open and our sights on our mission: to protect and restore the Yuba River and greater Yuba Watershed.
One year ago, SYRCL was one of the thousands of businesses and nonprofits stuck with unpaid invoices when the State of California froze payments on completed contracts (in SYRCL’s case, for river restoration). To make matters worse, the state froze existing contracts, which left much of our vital river protection work suddenly unfunded. As a result, SYRCL was forced to reduce staff, office hours, and office space and pare our budget to the bone.
It hasn’t been easy, but thanks to the leadership of Executive Director Jason Rainey, our extraordinary staff, and the enthusiasm and generous support of thousands of donors, members and volunteers, SYRCL had a great 2009: … “
Read more from YubaNet.com by clicking here.
Credit program could be key to regaining Tahoe’s clarity
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on December 6, 2009 at 7:53 am
From the Tahoe Daily Tribune:
“SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. — Alternative energy credits are designed to reduce the world’s dependence on fossil fuel.
Carbon credits are used to reduce the amount greenhouse gases entering the atmosphere.
And “Lake Clarity Credits” could soon be used to try and reverse Lake Tahoe’s historic clarity decline.
The Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board, the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection and the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency are developing a “Lake Clarity Crediting Program” to track implementation of the Lake Tahoe Total Maximum Daily Load, known as the TMDL. … “
Read more from the Tahoe Daily Tribune by clicking here.
Council OKs filter to avoid state fines
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on December 4, 2009 at 6:01 amFrom the Union-Democrat:
“The Angels Camp City Council voted Tuesday to install a fourth filter at the city’s water treatment plant if a last-ditch effort to appease state officials fails.
The issue, which has sparked heated debate on the council for the past year and has been stalled by a series of 2-2 votes, was decided by an unlikely 4-1 margin, with Councilwoman Elaine Morris the lone dissenter.
Newly seated Councilman Rick Downey, who was elected Nov. 3 to serve the remaining year of the late Councilman Paul Raggio’s term, was anticipated to provide the tie-breaking vote on the deadlocked council. Instead, he proposed the winning motion. … “
Read more from the Union Democrat by clicking here.
Tuolumne County eyes landscape regs, water conservation
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on December 1, 2009 at 6:01 amFrom the Union Democrat:
“Tuolumne County officials have set their sights on leaky sprinklers and water-guzzling shrubbery.
The county is set to adopt a landscaping ordinance requiring developers to conserve water, in part, through the use of efficient irrigation systems and the planting of native and drought-tolerant plant species.
But, so far, it appears that what would be the most ambitious landscaping project in the county’s history — the proposed 64-acre botanical garden at the closed Jamestown Mine — would not be covered by the new rules. The project was proposed last year by Modesto developer Vince Estell.
The proposed county ordinance excludes both mine reclamation projects and public botanical gardens from the new rules. Owner-installed landscaping for single-family homes would also be excluded. … “
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