Imperial Irrigation District approves cost-sharing agreement for QSA mitigation change
Posted by: Maven on February 8, 2012 at 7:28 amFrom the Imperial Valley Press:
“Some saw Tuesday’s Imperial Irrigation District vote to approve a cost-sharing agreement with San Diego as pushing for another water transfer.
Yet a majority of board members saw it as an option to improve the future of the Salton Sea.
Though the cost-sharing agreement with San Diego County Water Authority vote was divided, the board passed it 3-2, splitting costs at $1.5 million for the IID and $900,000 for SDCWA.
The cost-sharing agreement will allow the district to finalize an environmental review process required to change Salton Sea mitigation requirements. … “
Continue reading from the Imperial Valley Press by clicking here.
Discussion of Salton Sea restoration funding source to continue
Posted by: Maven on January 26, 2012 at 10:26 pmFrom the Imperial Valley Press:
“More discussion has to take place to see whether Imperial County is willing to give up some of its property taxes to go toward Salton Sea restoration.
The Salton Sea Authority went over the totals that an infrastructure finance district is anticipated to raise for sea restoration projects. Some have now questioned whether Imperial County can take a multi-million dollar blow in future property tax money.
An infrastructure finance district is a defined area where a portion of property tax would go to pay for improvements to public property. The authority is looking at implementing a finance district that would cover an area where a 5,000 acre development has been proposed. … “
Continue reading from the Imperial Valley Press by clicking here.
The development being discussed is Travertine Point, a development that includes a resort area, a cultural preserve, and residential neighborhoods of assorted densities but “predominantly single family,” plus a marina with slips, retail, and restaurants. You can find out more about Travertine Point from KCET by clicking here.
Imperial Irrigation District talks over cost-sharing agreement for Salton Sea environmental review; vote scheduled for next week
Posted by: Maven on January 25, 2012 at 5:56 amFrom the Imperial Valley Press:
“The Imperial Irrigation District is taking a courageous step that the state and other water agencies aren’t willing to make for environmental mitigation at the Salton Sea, said Charles DuMars, an environmental attorney out of New Mexico.
“This board is taking the lead with San Diego as a partner … you’re taking the lead in doing something affirmative,” he told the Board of Directors on Tuesday afternoon. “It’s what you do with the petition now that will be the proof in the pudding.” … “
Continue reading from the Imperial Valley Press by clicking here.
Water districts eye Salton Sea mitigation cost-sharing
Posted by: Maven on January 24, 2012 at 6:27 amFrom the Imperial Valley Press:
“Imperial Valley and San Diego County’s water agencies are set to take up how to fund environmental reports needed to reduce water going to the Salton Sea.
The Imperial Irrigation District is scheduled to vote on a cost-sharing agreement with San Diego County Water Authority to decide how the two agencies will split costs for environmental reviews of reducing mitigation water to the sea.
IID will also vote on three service agreements for the environmental studies needed for a change to the Quantification Settlement Agreement. … “
Continue reading from the Imperial Valley Press by clicking here.
An accidental mecca for birds: The Salton Sea provides wintering grounds, migration stopover for millions of birds, but is in some serious trouble
Posted by: Maven on January 15, 2012 at 7:23 am
From the Mail Tribune:
“The LBJ (little brown job) flits into the brush as if to hide, then flies back out and perches on a fence, where its dark mask and ruddy undertail coverts mark it as an Abert’s towhee. The bird’s range is confined to southeastern California, western Arizona and the southern tip of Nevada, so it’s one of the specialty birds people come to the Salton Sea to check off on their life lists.
This big, salty lake in the Imperial Valley is not only known as a recreation destination for fishermen, boaters and campers, it’s a world-class haven for birdlife. More than 400 species of resident and migratory birds have been recorded here.
We saw more than 60 species in a recent one-day visit, but that was watching bird behaviors and lingering over “lifers” such as the little towhee. Experts out for a Big Day have recorded nearly twice that many.
There’s a deep irony in the Salton Sea’s having become a mecca for birds. In a sense, its story is the water story of the American West in reverse. … “
Continue reading from the Mail Tribune by clicking here.
Photo of the Salton Sea by Chris Austin.
Imperial Irrigation District officials give opinion on county’s QSA appeal
Posted by: Maven on January 13, 2012 at 6:23 amFrom the Imperial Valley Press:
“The day after Imperial County leaders voted to push forward with the validation case of the nation’s largest agriculture-to-urban water transfer, officials on the other side of the lawsuit gave their opinion on the continuation of the case.
Imperial Irrigation District officials said they were disappointed with the recent decision to appeal the Quantification Settlement Agreement higher.
The Imperial County Board of Supervisors voted Wednesday to petition the California Supreme Court to review an earlier court’s decision to essentially validate the set of agreements that sell a portion of the IID’s Colorado River entitlement water to coastal, urban areas. … “
Continue reading from the Imperial Valley Press by clicking here.
Governor cuts Salton Sea agency, enviros shrug
Posted by: Maven on January 12, 2012 at 6:57 am
From KCET:
“A state agency charged with protecting and restoring California’s largest lake may fall victim to Governor Brown’s latest round of proposed budget cuts, and the defenders of that lake aren’t particularly upset.
The Salton Sea Restoration Council, a 16-member board established in September 2010, is one of six advisory groups to the state Department of Fish and Game that may be axed to mitigate the state’s $9.2 billion budget shortfall, along with 42 other state-level advisory bodies.
The council’s mandate was to determine the best course for the restoration of the sea and the protection of its wildlife. Governor Brown called for the council’s dissolution shortly after taking office. In the 16 months since its establishment, the council’s members have not met in person even once. … “
Continue reading from KCET by clicking here.
Photo of the Salton Sea by flickr photographer Chris Mattson.
Imperial Irrigation District looks at new Salton Sea environmental mitigation plan
Posted by: Maven on January 11, 2012 at 6:35 amFrom the Imperial Valley Press:
“Throughout the coming months, the Imperial Irrigation District will prepare a new plan for Salton Sea mitigation should the district be able to sell more water to cover project costs.
At its first meeting of the year, district staff updated the board on the status of Salton Sea mitigation issues, including burrowing owl counts, the managed marsh project, air quality mitigation measures, the state’s species conservation habitat plan and a petition to the state water board.
The projects are in place to mitigate impacts from the nation’s largest agriculture-to-urban water transfer, the Quantification Settlement Agreement, whereby the local water agency sends Colorado River entitlement water to coastal cities. … “
Continue reading from the Imperial Valley Press by clicking here.
Imperial Irrigation District to discuss Salton Sea issues, major work policy
Posted by: Maven on January 10, 2012 at 7:04 amFrom the Imperial Irrigation District:
“With new meeting leaders in place, the Imperial Irrigation District is set to hold its first meeting of the year, going over topics that include annual sponsorships, progress with Salton Sea mitigation efforts and major work authorization procedures.
The district Board of Directors has officially reorganized, naming Director John Pierre Menvielle as president and Director Matt Dessert as vice president of the board. The vote was taken Dec. 6 to formalize the reorganization, though it didn’t take effect until the beginning of the year.
With the new board leaders in place, IID staff is prepared to give a presentation on Quantification Settlement Agreement mitigation efforts … “
Continue reading from the Imperial Valley Press by clicking here.
Salton Sea fish kill a natural occurrence, official says
Posted by: Maven on January 8, 2012 at 7:39 amFrom MyDesert.com:
“Last week’s Salton Sea fish kill was a natural occurrence and wildlife officials are no longer investigating what killed hundreds of tilapia, a California Department of Fish and Game official said Saturday.
Seasonal fish kills are usually attributed to algae blooms that suck oxygen out of water during summer or when water temperatures decline in the winter.
Exactly how the most recent die-off occurred remains a mystery, but experts believe nothing abnormal took place, department spokesman Andrew Hughan told The Desert Sun. … “
Continue reading from MyDesert.com by clicking here.
Salton Sea Restoration Council to be cut?
Posted by: Maven on January 7, 2012 at 8:12 amFrom MyDesert.com:
“The state agency that’s supposed to spearhead the Salton Sea’s revival is back on the chopping block.
But rather than mourn the possible demise of the Salton Sea Restoration Council, local advocates are embracing it as a chance to seize more control over the long-shelved plan to save the inland sea.
“It’s a great opportunity,” said Coachella Valley Water District member Corky Larson, who sits on the local Salton Sea Authority. … “
Continue reading from MyDesert.com by clicking here.
State agency to probe Salton Sea fish kill; Residents say manure dump may be culprit, but experts downplay significance of die-off
Posted by: Maven on January 7, 2012 at 8:11 amFrom MyDesert.com:
“Seasonal fish die-offs are nothing new at the Salton Sea, but the unusual timing of thousands of dead tilapia washing up this week on the sea’s western shore has a state agency investigating.
Die-offs usually occur in the summer, when algae blooms suck the oxygen out of the water, or sometimes in the winter, if the water is extremely cold — which it’s not right now.
Gayle and Tyrone Schwartz, who live in a mobile home overlooking a small cliff above the sea, said an odd-looking mixture of manure and feathers coated the water, accompanying the dead fish to the shore. … “
Continue reading from MyDesert.com by clicking here.
Imperial Valley’s unique combination of solar and geothermal resources make it a hotbed of renewable energy activity, and controversy
Posted by: Maven on December 28, 2011 at 11:26 pmFrom Clean Technica:
“Stretching 50 miles from southeastern California’s Salton Sea across the border with Mexico to the Gulf of California, the Imperial Valley is an area of unique desert beauty, one that lies almost entirely below sea level. The area is also somewhat rare in its combination of geothermal and solar energy resources.
The Imperial Valley is fast turning into a hotspot for both geothermal and solar energy development. On Tuesday, the city of El Centro’s Board of Supervisors gave the go-ahead to LS Power’s 275-megawatt (MW) Centinela Solar Energy Project. The solar project proposal has generated controversy in the small, still predominantly agricultural community, pitting local farmer-landowners against one another and either for or against LS Power’s proposal, according to a KYMA news report.
Land use and environmental impact were at the center of the debate. … “
Continue reading from Clean Technica by clicking here.
Imperial Irrigation District officials wary of Salton Sea agreement: Board seeking ‘Plan B’ in case state allowed to get out of water deal
Posted by: Maven on December 22, 2011 at 6:58 amFrom MyDesert.com (Desert Sun):
“As Bruce Kuhn helped negotiate one of the most significant water deals in the history of the American west, his colleague on the board of the Imperial Irrigation District, Don Cox, had one overriding concern.
“Don said, ‘Whatever happens, you cannot have the valley or the IID responsible for that Salton Sea,’” Kuhn, an Imperial County farmer and former IID board member, recalled this week. Cox died in 2006.
“To that end, we went to great lengths when I helped negotiate this thing that the state — someone — was going to take responsibility.” … “
Continue reading from MyDesert.com by clicking here.
MORE: Untangling the QSA, from the Inkstain blog
Some question who benefits from recent court ruling on QSA transfer; County of Imperial responds to QSA decision
Posted by: Maven on December 14, 2011 at 7:21 amFrom the Imperial Valley Press:
“Some have said the Imperial Irrigation District has won a portion of the battle to sell some of its water to coastal communities.
But now others are questioning whether the decision to keep the nation’s largest agriculture-to-urban water transfer going is good for the local water district as the responsibility for saving the Salton Sea could fall on Imperial Irrigation District customers’ backs.
Last week the Third District Appellate Court overturned an earlier judge’s ruling that invalidated the Quantification Settlement Agreement, a set of agreements approved in 2003 to transfer a portion of IID-entitlement water to the coastal communities like Los Angeles and San Diego. … “
Continue reading from the Imperial Valley Press by clicking here.
Meanwhile, KXO Radio has the response from the County of Imperial:
“… The written response declared the court had cleared Imperial County Environmental claims for trial. The statement says in the 167-page opinion, the court ruled that California and its 4 Colorado River water districts could constitutionally sign the agreements, because the so-called state obligation to avoid future environmental harm to the Salton Sea would not be legally enforceable.
The county statement says ruling on the Imperial County’s environmental claims, the judges rejected efforts by the water districts to prevent those claims from being resolved, and ordered the Sacramento Superior Court to set them for trial. Imperial County Counsel Michael Rood said, with the court’s ruling that IID and other water districts cannot enforce the state’s obligation to meet excess Salton Sea mitigation and restoration costs, the Imperial Irrigation District would be transferring water at its own risk. … “
More from KXO Radio by clicking here.
MORE: Video from the hearing in November is now available online.
Brine might buy Salton Sea time: Plan to pump salty water into lake costly, but may attract business
Posted by: Maven on December 10, 2011 at 8:00 amFrom MyDesert.com:
“A pipeline from the Santa Ana watershed could turn into a lifeline for the Salton Sea and potentially attract business and jobs all along the line, a top regional water quality official said.
Celeste Cantú, general manager of the Santa Ana Watershed Project Authority based in Riverside, discussed the idea of a “brine line” from the watershed in northwestern Riverside and southeastern San Bernardino counties to the massive lake at the Salton Sea Authority’s meeting in North Shore on Thursday.
The line would carry salty water left over from treated groundwater or as a byproduct from industrial activities. … “
Continue reading from MyDesert.com by clicking here.
Friday’s top of the scroll: Plan casts dying sea as energy hub; Salton Sea officials continue support of local control
Posted by: Maven on December 9, 2011 at 8:35 amFrom the Desert Sun:
“A new plan for restoring the dying Salton Sea would potentially turn it into a national hub of renewable energy capable of providing for much of the southwestern United States’ power needs, a University of Redlands professor said.
Timothy Krantz, an environmental studies professor who has spent the past 14 years working on solutions at the Salton Sea, presented his Integrated Water Management Plan at the Salton Sea Authority’s meeting Thursday at the North Shore Yacht Club.
California’s largest water body, the Salton Sea has been slowly dying for decades as evaporation cycles cause its salinity to increase and its primary source of water, agricultural runoff, dwindles. … “
Continue reading from the Desert Sun by clicking here.
From the Imperial Valley Press:
“State representatives took with them clear messages on how to handle Salton Sea restoration, a representative from the area’s local legislator reported at a meeting Thursday.
Silvia Paz, senior field representative with Assemblyman V. Manuel Pérez’s office, told the Salton Sea Authority board that the assemblyman thought the Nov. 28 state budget hearing held in North Shore was a successful one. Some of the messages that the assemblyman is taking away from it is that there needs to be a clear consensus on what to do to restore the sea, the effort has to be led by locals with state help and fixing the sea has to be guided by experts. … “
Continue reading from the Imperial Valley Press by clicking here.
RELATED:
- Water Transfer to San Diego Is Upheld, from the New York Times Green Blog
- Court Upholds California’s Landmark Quantification Settlement Agreement, Legal alert from Best Best & Krieger
A big win in the war for water, says the San Diego Union-Tribune
Posted by: Maven on December 9, 2011 at 8:31 amFrom the San Diego Union-Tribune:
“As it has been for decades, the military is critical to San Diego’s economic future. So is tourism. So are agriculture and the science and technology industries that have helped make San Diego a player in the global economy. But ahead of all those critical economic engines is water. Without a reliable – and reliably growing – supply of water, this semiarid region at the tail end of the pipelines would shrivel and die as an economic powerhouse.
The battle to maintain existing sources of water and to develop new ones is never-ending and is fought on many fronts. One of those battle fronts is the courthouse, and San Diego County won a major legal ruling this week that would have been devastating had it gone the other way. … “
Continue reading from the San Diego Union-Tribune by clicking here.
Thursday’s top of the scroll: State appellate court rules QSA valid; case to head back to trial
Posted by: Maven on December 8, 2011 at 8:42 amFrom the Imperial Valley Press:
“The nation’s largest agriculture-to-urban water transfer is a valid agreement, ruled a panel of Sacramento-area judges on Wednesday.
However, a final outcome is still a ways off as the Quantification Settlement Agreement was ordered back to the Sacramento Superior Court for a decision on the environmental issues surrounding the case.
The Third District Appellate Court reversed the Sacramento Superior Court’s judgment on the agreement to send a portion of the Imperial Irrigation District’s entitlement water to coastal, urban communities. … “
Continue reading from the Imperial Valley Press by clicking here.
From the San Diego Union-Tribune:
“A state Court of Appeal Wednesday ruled in favor of a landmark agreement that for years has delivered a vast new supply of water to the San Diego region while under a legal cloud.
The ruling is likely to be appealed to the state Supreme Court, but in the meantime the San Diego County Water Authority appears free to continue buying the water from Imperial County farmers.
Much is at stake for the San Diego region. In 2011 alone, Imperial Valley farmers sent 80,000 acre feet — enough to serve the needs of 160,000 average households for the year. Eventually the amount ramps up to 200,000 acre feet annually. … “
Continue reading from the San Diego Union-Tribune by clicking here.
From the Desert Sun:
“A California appellate court has reversed a lower court’s invalidation of a landmark Colorado River water deal, providing momentary relief for water districts that rely on the water apportions it set.
The decision will likely result in continued litigation.
“This is a good thing — for the Coachella Valley and for all of California — because of the surety that it gives to our water supplies,” Coachella Valley Water District General Manager Steve Robbins said of the ruling Wednesday on the Quantification Settlement Agreement, or QSA.
This is the 2003 water pact of which the Coachella Valley Water District is a partner. … “
Continue reading from the Desert Sun by clicking here.
COURT DOCUMENTS: Read the appellate court decision here.
MORE COVERAGE: Coverage from the Associated Press is here.
Imperial Irrigation District and the San Diego County Water Authority respond to QSA decision
Posted by: Maven on December 8, 2011 at 8:31 amThe Imperial Irrigation District issued this statement:
” … “This is obviously good news, and it’s been a long time coming, but there’s still considerable work to do in turning this agreement into one that is environmentally sustainable for the Salton Sea and economically viable for Imperial Valley agriculture,” said Kevin Kelley, IID general manager. “This has been a long process, and I doubt that this decision brings it to a close, but for IID’s part, we’re heartened by the decision and intend to work within the framework of the QSA to make certain it works for the district, its water users and the public.” … “
Read the full text of the press release from the Imperial Irrigation District by clicking here.
The San Diego County Water Authority issued this statement:
” … “The Water Authority is very pleased with the Appellate Court ruling,” said Maureen A. Stapleton, general manager of the San Diego County Water Authority and the agency’s lead negotiator on the water transfer agreement. “We were confident we would persevere and prevail.”
“Perseverance has been the hallmark of the success of our water transfer with the Imperial Irrigation District, and the broader QSA itself.” … “
Read the full text of the press release from the San Diego County Water Authority by clicking here.
This just in … QSA ruling reversed; case sent back to trial court
Posted by: Maven on December 7, 2011 at 12:22 pmFrom the Imperial Valley Press:
“The nation’s largest agriculture-to-urban water transfer has been send back to the Sacramento Superior Court after the Third District Appellate Court overturned a previous ruling today.
The ruling last year by Sacramento Superior Court Judge Roland Candee that invalidated the Quantification Settlement Agreement has been reversed with direction in a 166-page opinion released about 10:30 a.m. today. The case was remanded to the trial court for further proceedings. … “
Continue reading from the Imperial Valley Press by clicking here.
MORE: You can read the appellate court decision here.
Court considers Colorado River water agreement
Posted by: Maven on December 7, 2011 at 8:14 amFrom the California Farm Bureau Federation:
“Further disruption to California’s already-unreliable water supply could result from a state appeals court decision related to a 2003 agreement on the Colorado River. The case involves the seven-state Quantification Settlement Agreement and restoration of the Salton Sea.
As attorneys were arguing the complex case in a Sacramento appellate court last week, an Assembly budget subcommittee held a hearing to take comments on future options for managing the sea.
The QSA compact includes 13 separate contracts, including California’s pledge to live within its 4.4 million acre-foot right to Colorado River water and the Imperial Irrigation District agreement to transfer 200,000 acre-feet of farm water to the San Diego County Water Authority for urban uses. … “
Continue reading from the California Farm Bureau Federation by clicking here.
Assemblyman Perez commentary: Local officials must lead quest for Salton Sea solutions
Posted by: Maven on December 5, 2011 at 7:27 amFrom MyDesert.com, this commentary by Assemblyman Manuel Perez:
“While the problems plaguing the Salton Sea are well known, finding consensus on a path forward remains a bone of contention. This was illustrated last week by the numerous community, local government and state agency voices that testified at the Salton Sea restoration hearing I hosted Monday in North Shore.
The state hearing was held at my request by Assemblyman Rich Gordon, chairman of Assembly Budget Subcommittee 3, which is responsible for allocating funds for Salton Sea restoration. Earlier this year, the state proposed cutting all funding to the restoration council, and it was clear to me that we needed to reinvigorate the dialogue on this issue. … “
Continue reading this commentary at MyDesert.com by clicking here.
Desert Sun editorial: New strategies for the Salton Sea: Pérez leads campaign to restore local leadership for our most challenging environmental threat
Posted by: Maven on December 4, 2011 at 7:17 amFrom the Desert Sun, this editorial:
” … The Salton Sea — on the eastern edge of the Coachella Valley — is the most important wetland area along the Pacific Flyway, considering that 97 percent of California inland wetlands have disappeared. Millions of birds migrate to the sea every year. More than 400 species have been spotted there, more than any other place in the U.S. except the Gulf Coast of Texas.
Protecting bird habitat is one of many reasons for The Desert Sun to applaud Assemblyman V. Manuel Pérez for his proactive approach in seeking solutions to the region’s most challenging and complex environmental problem.
He says restoration of the sea will be his top priority for the rest of his legislative tenure. Good luck. Many others, such as Sonny Bono and Denise Ducheny, have set similar goals, but the sea continues to shrink.
However, a new plan to create the largest concentration of renewable energy in the world holds genuine hope to generate revenue for restoration. … “
Continue reading this editorial from the Desert Sun by clicking here.
Hope renewed for dying Salton Sea
Posted by: Maven on December 2, 2011 at 8:35 am
From MyDesert.com:
“Efforts to fix the dying Salton Sea have ebbed and flowed over the years, but longtime observers of this seemingly endless saga say they’re hopeful real progress might finally emerge after this week’s state assembly hearing in North Shore.
“I’m encouraged from the meeting,” said Timothy Krantz, a University of Redlands environmental studies professor who’s spent the past 14 years studying sea restoration. “I think there’s a realization on the part of the state that they can’t solve this by themselves, let alone pay for it.”
What makes this effort different from a dozen previous initiatives, participants say, is that there are new ideas to pay for the sea’s restoration by harnessing its potential as a source of energy. … “
Continue reading from MyDesert.com by clicking here.
Tuesday’s top of the scroll: Salton Sea restoration effort draws Assembly subcommittee hearing
Posted by: Maven on November 29, 2011 at 8:26 am
From the Imperial Valley Press:
“Violeta Lopez has been on the front line of the changes that are taking place in the Salton Sea.
The North Shore resident of 16 years has seen people move away, kids having health problems and the smell of the sea grow worse throughout the years, she said in Spanish. The residents there now only have one store in which to buy groceries, and Lopez attributes that among other things to a declining, super-salinated sea that appears no closer to getting better.
She wants to know when all the talk is going to stop and action will start to save the sea and the community she lives in. No one could answer Lopez’s question, though much discussion settled Monday around how the state can move forward to help save the Salton Sea.
Sacramento came to the Salton Sea as the Assembly budget subcommittee on resources and transportation held a hearing at the North Shore Yacht Club, inviting local officials and residents to give their input on how they see the future of the largest inland body of water in the state. … “
Continue reading from the Imperial Valley Press by clicking here.
Coverage from the Imperial Valley Press continues here: Locals seek to retain control of Salton Sea restoration
From the Desert Sun:
“As state lawmakers held their first summit in more than four years on the looming death of the Salton Sea, Sonia Herbert gazed out the window at the North Shore Beach & Yacht Club marina, where squawking seabirds swooped across the glassy sea surface, fishing for tilapia.
Like most of the 60 people who attended Monday’s hearing, Herbert, who has lived in Bombay Beach since the 1970s, fears the worst: that time is running out on efforts to repair the sea and sustain its wildlife, and that overwhelming public health and economic crises will follow.
“All we’ve seen is studies, studies, studies and nothing has been done,” a visibly frustrated Herbert told Assemblyman V. Manuel Pérez and two Assembly budget committee members. “What’s going to happen if we don’t do something?” … “
Continue reading from the Desert Sun by clicking here.
State hearing aimed at the Salton Sea
Posted by: Maven on November 28, 2011 at 7:28 amFrom the Imperial Valley Press:
“At the request of Assemblyman V. Manuel Pérez, D-Coachella, the California Assembly budget subcommittee on resources and transportation chaired by Assemblyman Richard Gordon, D-Palo Alto, is heading down to Coachella Valley to hold a hearing on Salton Sea restoration.
“The Salton Sea Restoration will continue to be a long-term issue for local residents and the state of California,” said Gordon in a statement. “I look forward to Monday’s hearing and for the opportunity to hear from local and state experts on the various issues surrounding the restoration project.”
The hearing is set to include an update on what funds are available to implement the restoration efforts, a discussion of future funding needs and options and consider the state’s obligation and role in the efforts moving forward. … “
Continue reading from the Imperial Valley Press by clicking here.
Tuesday’s top of the scroll: Appellate court in Sacramento hears QSA debate; State judge may lean toward San Diego water transfer
Posted by: Maven on November 22, 2011 at 8:07 amFrom the Imperial Valley Press:
“For nearly two hours, lawyers from both sides of the nation’s largest agriculture-to-urban water transfer gave their case before a group of judges, a crowd of Imperial Valley residents, and other interested parties.
Now all there is to do is wait to see how the three third district appellate court judges decide about the fate of selling the Imperial Valley’s water.
The Quantification Settlement Agreement, a set of agreements that send a portion of the 4.1 million acre-feet of Imperial Irrigation District entitlement water to urban areas like Los Angeles and San Diego, was heard before the Sacramento-based state appellate court Monday with a decision pending in the next few months. … “
Continue reading from the Imperial Valley Press by clicking here.
From the San Diego Union Tribune:
“Judging from his sharp line of questioning Monday, a state appeals court justice appeared reluctant to toss out a landmark agreement that cleared the way for a vast new supply of Imperial Valley water to flow to the San Diego region.
Justice Ronald Robie, who served as director of the Department of Water Resources during Jerry Brown’s first turn as governor, was the only one of the three-judge panel of the 3rd Appellate District to banter with attorneys in the nearly two-hour hearing challenging the transfer and broader pact to share the Colorado River. … “
Continue reading from the San Diego Union-Tribune by clicking here.
MORE COVERAGE: Judge voices support for big California water pact, from the AP via the Capital Press
Courts weighs scrapping huge California water pact
Posted by: Maven on November 21, 2011 at 7:55 amFrom the Silicon Valley Mercury News:
“A vanishing lake figures large in a court battle over how Southern California gets it water, a high-stakes dispute with consequences that could ripple throughout the western United States.
A California appeals court is considering whether to overturn a landmark 2003 agreement that created the nation’s largest farm-to-city water transfer and set new rules for dividing the state’s share of the Colorado River. A three-judge panel of the 3rd Appellate District in Sacramento will hear arguments Monday and is expected to rule within three months.
Farmers and environmentalists involved in the lawsuit argue the pact is deeply flawed, while California water agencies say it is critical to keeping an uneasy peace on the river. The court has given each side 45 minutes to make its case and asked lawyers to focus on whether the state of California violated its constitution by essentially writing a blank check to restore the shrinking Salton Sea. … “
Continue reading from the Silicon Valley Mercury News by clicking here. A slightly different version of this story (also from the AP/Mercury News) is here.
Bay-Delta blog: Imperial and San Diego file petition on Salton Sea mitigation water
Posted by: Maven on November 21, 2011 at 7:47 amFrom the Bay-Delta blog:
“In 2002, one year before the Quantification Settlement Agreement (QSA) and related agreements were executed, the State Water Resources Control Board issued a key approval facilitating a long-term water transfer. The transfer, which carries a 45-year term and an option to renew for 30 additional years, involves Imperial Irrigation District conserving water and transferring the conserved quantity on a ramped-up schedule — up to 200,000 acre-feet annually (afa) to the San Diego County Water Authority and 100,000 afa to the Metropolitan Water District (MWD) and Coachella Valley Water District. In order to approve this water transfer, the State Board made certain changes to Permit 7643, which allows Imperial to divert up to 10,000 cfs year-round from the Colorado River. These changes added new places of use (San Diego, MWD, and Coachella service areas) to the permit, a new purpose of use (municipal), and a new point of diversion at Lake Havasu to send water to San Diego and MWD.
The tricky part with transfers is avoiding “injury” to other water users and the environment. … “
Continue reading from the Bay-Delta blog by clicking here.
Sinking sensation on the shore of the Salton Sea
Posted by: Maven on November 8, 2011 at 5:59 amFrom the San Diego Union-Tribune, this column by Logan Jenkins:
“It’s a stretch, but call me Ishmael.
Last week, feeling grim about the mouth — and having just finished a brilliant Melville-obsessed novel, Chad Harbach’s “The Art of Fielding” — I fought off the November damp by taking to sea.
The Salton Sea.
Though 100 miles around as the car flies, the old sink’s current occupant can be as shifty as a mirage in the Colorado Desert.
My first stop was the Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge, which on the map looked like a promising perch to view the southern shore. … “
Continue reading this column from the San Diego Union-Tribune by clicking here.
Conceptual plan may save Salton Sea, cause problems
Posted by: Maven on November 6, 2011 at 6:23 amFrom the Imperial Valley Press:
“Imari Kariotis loves that she can see the stars at night. Her nearest neighbor is a quarter of a mile away from the house in Salton City she has lived in for the past 10 years. It cuts down on the light, making it a great view.
“I love the beauty of it. I really do,” she said. “Even when it’s summer and 130 degrees, it’s beautiful.”
Many people moved to the area to watch the birds and a sea as far as the eye can see, the president of the West Shores Salton Sea Growth Association said. Since she’s been there, though, the sea levels have been dropping quite noticeably — from two feet in some areas to seven feet depending on the shoreline.
There’s good news and bad news when it comes to the Salton Sea. … “
Continue reading from the Imperial Valley Press by clicking here.
Sunday’s top of the scroll: Massive California farm-to-city water deal snared in litigation
Posted by: Maven on October 30, 2011 at 7:17 am
From the Los Angeles Times:
“A 2003 water pact between the Imperial Valley and San Diego County was supposed to be good for both parties, and for California.
But the agreement — billed as the largest sale of water from farms to cities in the nation — is snared in litigation and the outcome is uncertain. No sooner had the pact been signed than it came under attack by environmentalists, farmers and the Imperial County Board of Supervisors.
One major point of contention is that the Salton Sea could become saltier and shrink if farmers reduce agricultural runoff into the sea because water is being sold to San Diego County. If the sea recedes further and becomes more saline, it could lead to massive fish die-offs, endanger migratory fowl and result in toxic dust storms. … “
Continue reading from the Los Angeles Times by clicking here.
Property tax could go to restore Salton Sea
Posted by: Maven on October 28, 2011 at 7:33 amFrom the Imperial Valley Press:
“Property tax increases from a proposed project on the Imperial County-Riverside County line may go toward restoring the Salton Sea.
The Salton Sea Authority is looking at what it would take to form an infrastructure finance district, a defined area where a portion of property tax would go to pay for improvements to public properties.
“It’s the beginning of the beginning of an infrastructure district,” said board Chairman Marion Ashley, Riverside County supervisor. … “
Continue reading from the Imperial Valley Press by clicking here.
Did California overreach in promising to help the Salton Sea?
Posted by: Maven on October 27, 2011 at 8:50 amFrom The New York Times Green blog:
“One of the joys of reporting is the serendipitous encounter, the fascinating digression. It was farmers I hoped to talk to when I visited the Imperial Valley this summer for my recent article about farmers who leave fields fallow and earn money for sending the water saved to San Diego.
Stepping out of the 110-degree heat one day in July, I sat down in the lunchroom of a small hotel in Brawley, Calif., with Al Kalin, a farmer in the area. Yet for nearly 20 minutes, Mr. Kalin talked fishing, not farming.
He had grown up near the Salton Sea and fished all of its offerings — bass and grouper and tilapia and more — so avidly that eventually he got interested in making lures. Eventually he was selling the lures on the Internet, while continuing to work his family’s 2,000 acres of farmland in the Imperial Valley. … “
Continue reading from the New York Times Green blog by clicking here.
Imperial County comments on Salton Sea conservation project
Posted by: Maven on October 12, 2011 at 7:02 amFrom the Imperial Valley Press:
“A letter supporting a Salton Sea conservation project as long as it allows potential geothermal development in the area was approved unanimously by the county Board of Supervisors on Tuesday.
The state and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is looking to restore shallow water habitat for fish and birds lost due to increased salinity and reduced surface area, said Andy Horne, deputy county executive officer for natural resources.
“This is a fairly large project,” Horne said … “
Continue reading from the Imperial Valley Press by clicking here.
Imperial Irrigation District’s proposal is a realistic approach to saving the sea, says commentary
Posted by: Maven on October 6, 2011 at 8:33 amFrom MyDesert.com, this commentary by Kevin E. Kelley of the Imperial Irrigation District:
“The Imperial Irrigation District’s planned petition to the State Water Resources Control Board regarding Salton Sea mitigation water has generated more heat than light.
In Keith Matheny’s Sept. 22 article covering the IID proposal, the Coachella Valley Water District voiced its opposition to the initiative and has subsequently passed a resolution to this effect. Attorney Malissa McKeith called it “a death warrant.”
Setting aside the smoke and the hyperbole, what IID is proposing is a realistic approach to mitigating the effects of the nation’s largest agricultural-to-urban water transfer, one that places reduced air impacts, species and habitat preservation, and renewable energy development ahead of all other considerations. … “
Continue reading this commentary at MyDesert.com by clicking here.
Debate over Salton Sea heats up
Posted by: Maven on September 28, 2011 at 7:53 amFrom KESQ:
“The debate over the future of the Salton Sea returns to the limelight after recent proposals have initiated debate and disagreement on its future. The Coachella Valley Water District continues to support the preservation of the Salton Sea because of its many functions. “It supplies habitat for migrating birds, but it also provides a lot of recreation for fisherman and eco-tourism and so forth,” said Peter Nelson from CVWD.
However, the sea may face big changes. The Imperial Irrigation District made a proposal last week to evaluate cutting the sea off from the millions of gallons of water from the Colorado River each year. IID officials believe they can take the water they would put into the sea and sell it to coastal communities. … “
Continue reading from KESQ by clicking here.
Imperial Irrigation District seeks to cut off Salton Sea; Agency wants to sell water contribution, put proceeds toward restoration efforts
Posted by: Maven on September 22, 2011 at 8:55 amFrom MyDesert.com:
“It’s a nightmare scenario that has been described for years: The Salton Sea shrinks so significantly that its miles of exposed dry lake bed feeds toxic dust storms that foul the air; hurt tourism and agriculture; and ruin bird, fish and animal habitats.
The potential doomsday has even been set: Jan. 1, 2018.
It’s then that the Imperial Irrigation District, water provider to the Imperial Valley’s vast agricultural fields, would no longer be obligated to push millions of gallons of water into the Salton Sea every year.
But that date may now come four years earlier. … “
Continue reading from MyDesert.com by clicking here.
Photo of the Salton Sea by Chris Austin.
Salton Sea bird not in danger of extinction, federal agency reports
Posted by: Maven on September 21, 2011 at 5:54 amFrom the Imperial Valley Press:
“A bird that makes its habitat near the Salton Sea is not an endangered species, announced the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on Monday.
The van Rossem’s gull-billed tern, a medium-sized migratory bird, does not warrant protection under the Endangered Species Act, according to the Fish and Wildlife Service. The service made the finding after a review involving the scientific and commercial information dealing with the status of and threats to the species, according to a press release from the service. … “
Continue reading from the Imperial Valley Press by clicking here.
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