SoCal agencies rally for new kind of peripheral canal bill
Posted by: Maven on February 9, 2012 at 7:51 amFrom the Pasadena Star News:
“Local water agencies, chambers of commerce and construction unions are supporting a bill that would speed up the planning and set a date for construction of a new kind of peripheral canal to bring water from Northern California south.
Senate Bill 250 by Bakersfield Democrat Michael J. Rubio would require the state Department of Water Resources to finish planning for a Bay Delta Conservation Plan by February 2013, and complete all capital improvements by Dec. 31, 2025.
“We are very supportive of that bill,” said Shane Chapman, general manager of the Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District, which helps to manage ground water and builds water recycling projects affecting about 1 million residents. … “
Continue reading from the Pasadena Star News by clicking here.
Commentary: Putting Water to Beneficial Use: A technical response to criticism of the Cadiz Project
Posted by: Maven on January 31, 2012 at 7:53 amReceived via email, this commentary on the Cadiz project, written By Terry Foreman, PG, C.Hg., and Dennis Williams, Ph.D, PG., C.Hg., , two of the scientists that led the technical analysis of the Project:
The innovative Cadiz Valley Water Conservation, Recovery and Storage Project would enable water to be beneficially used in California by capturing groundwater that is currently being lost to evaporation in the Mojave Desert. The Project is currently undergoing a public review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). As with any public process, opponents are entitled and encouraged to question CEQA documents and challenge a project’s design or assumptions. However, many of the most vocal critics of the Cadiz Project have never visited the project area or reviewed any studies and rely instead on misinformation and assumptions that are simply incorrect, untrue and wrong.
As the authors of the geologic and hydrologic studies and many of the technical reports included in the Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) for the Cadiz Project, we strongly believe that the project is based on sound modern water management practices that will provide a reliable and sustainable water supply without harm to the environment. In a transparent and open public process, all supporting studies are available to the public and included as Appendices to the DEIR. These studies are available from the following link – http://www.smwd.com/operations/cadiz-project-draft-eir.html.
Prior to inclusion of the hydrological studies in the DEIR, they were reviewed and validated by an independent peer review panel, the Project’s Groundwater Stewardship Committee (GSC). The GSC is chaired by Dr. John Sharp a professor at the University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Sharp is the leading expert in groundwater hydrology and carbonate aquifers, similar to one of the aquifers found beneath the Project area. Other members of the GSC include Dr. Charles Groat, former director of the United States Geological Survey (USGS), and international groundwater experts from the regulatory, institutional, and academic sectors. For the summary of findings of this panel, see the Groundwater Stewardship Committee report here – http://www.smwd.com/assets/downloads/GSCSum_10-20-11.pdf.
The following summarizes our responses to questions and clarifies the facts about the project:
Wasting the wastewater
Posted by: Maven on January 25, 2012 at 7:48 amFrom the New York Times Green blog:
“Each day, American municipalities discharge enough treated wastewater into natural sources to fill Lake Champlain within six months. Growing pressure on water supplies and calls for updating the ancient subterranean piping infrastructure have brought new scrutiny to this step in the treatment process, which is labeled wasteful and unnecessary by a spectrum of voices.
“As the world enters the 21st century, the human community finds itself searching for new paradigms for water supply and management,” says a report released this month by the Water Science and Technology Board of the National Research Council, a division of the National Academy of Sciences. The report investigates the potential for establishing a more resilient national water supply through the direct recycling of municipal wastewater. … “
Continue reading from the New York Times Green blog by clicking here.
Weather update: Hope you enjoyed the rain and snow – Changes coming
Posted by: Maven on January 24, 2012 at 8:34 amFrom the Accu-Weather Western Weather Blog:
“It was nice to see good rain and snow through California this weekend into Monday. The previous 6 to 7 weeks had been so dry. But I warned you that the Winter pattern was not going to be conducive for a prolonged period of stormy weather in the Southwest. I have said that there is little chance of getting back to normal snow pack in the Sierra, or rainfall in the lower elevations, before the rainfall season is over. The longer range models are bearing that out.
The current storm moving through California exits to the east tonight bringing rain and snow across Arizona then New Mexico tonight and tomorrow. … “
Continue reading from the Western Weather Blog by clicking here.
In other weather news, snow boosts spirits at Sierra ski resorts as the first real winter storm brings snow, rain and some flooding to Northern California; however, clear skies by afternoon in the Bay Area as the rain moves out, and in Southern California, it’s umbrellas on Monday, sunscreen on Wednesday.
Holiday weekend wrap-up: Feinstein on water transfers, Dan Walters on Brown and the peripheral canal, and the LA Times on Hetch Hetchy, plus a look at the calendar and more!
Posted by: Maven on January 17, 2012 at 8:46 amWelcome back! Here’s your holiday weekend wrap-up:
Top stories over the weekend: Dianne Feinstein responds to last week’s commentary regarding water transfers (Sacramento Bee), Dan Walters wrote about Jerry Brown and the peripheral canal (Sacramento Bee), and the Los Angeles Times editorialized about San Francisco’s water use and Hetch Hetchy.
In other weekend news, the Pasadena Star-News reported on the Delta Stewardship Council’s stop in Pasadena last week, as did the Cal Watchdog blog. Russian River growers are getting ready to protest new frost regulations, according to a commentary in the North Bay Business Journal, and the Los Angeles Times reported on the ongoing Santa Ana sucker fish battle. State Senator Rubio argued for passage of the water bond in the Bakersfield Californian, and Kate Poole takes a look at the NOAA and salmon management at the NRDC Switchboard blog.
Of course, if you want all the water news, you’ll need to scroll down …
LAST WEEK’S TOP STORIES: Weather dominates the top stories with the Western Weather Blog’s dismal snow statistics post being the most popular. Second place goes to ACWA Water News coverage of Governor Brown’s budget, followed by NBC LA’s story on the drought and MWDs preparations for the dry year, the Stockton Record’s story on Huber’s canal bill, and the O.C. Register’s editorial on the water bond. Top blog posts were Tina Swanson’s post on science and the Bay-Delta Conservation Plan and the Bay-Delta Blog’s post on the SWRCB and the Bay-Delta Conservation Plan.
CALENDAR NOTES: The Delta Stewardship Council continues its meetings throughout the state, meeting tonight in Ceres, Wednesday in Clarksburg, and Thursday in Willows. On Wednesday, the California Water Commission will meet; there is also a free brown bag seminar on ocean and coastal protection. The California Water Law Symposium is scheduled for Saturday.
NOTE: If you are having difficulties accessing linked articles from newspaper sites, send me an email. I may be able to help!
Davis: Pimentel ‘optimistic’ on water issues
Posted by: Maven on December 23, 2011 at 6:21 amFrom the Daily Democrat:
“Could Davis have its cake and eat it too?
The city’s choice to put the Woodland-Davis Clean Water Agency Regional Water Supply Project on a June ballot has been met with criticism from Woodland officials. They’ve called on their northern neighbor to continue work on a $325 million project the two cities had been working toward for years: a plan to siphon water from the Sacramento River as a replacement for the city’s dilapidating ground wells.
Davis residents, in turn, had accused their City Council of passing a misleading rate increase to cover its costs and failing to explain a plan that had been brewing behind the scenes for some 20 years. … “
Continue reading from the Daily Democrat by clicking here.
Peter Gleick on the coming mega drought: The Southwestern U.S. looks a lot like Australia before its nine-year dry spell
Posted by: Maven on December 22, 2011 at 8:06 amFrom Peter Gleick and Matthew Heberger at Scientific American:
“Australia experienced the worst and most consistent dry period in its recorded history over much of the past decade. The Murray River failed to reach the sea for the first time ever in 2002. Fires swept much of the country, and dust storms blanketed major cities for days. Australia’s sheep population dropped by 50 percent, and rice and cotton production collapsed in some years. Tens of thousands of farm families gave up their livelihoods. The drought ended in 2010 with torrential rains and flooding.
Australia’s Millennium Drought is a wake-up call for residents of the drought-plagued southwestern U.S. and for all of us. What happened in Australia could happen in the U.S., with devastating consequences to the region and to the nation. We can avert the worst, however, if we pay attention to Australia’s experience and learn the right lessons. … “
Continue reading from Scientific American by clicking here.
Inyo Water Commission appointments
Posted by: Maven on December 16, 2011 at 7:32 amFrom Sierra Wave:
“As expected, the Inyo Supervisors played it safe with their appointments to the Inyo Water Commission. They re-appointed Mike Prather and added former Bishop Police Chief and former City Councilman Bruce Dishion to the list. … “
Continue reading from Sierra Wave by clicking here.
Foresthill water district considers closing up shop
Posted by: Maven on December 15, 2011 at 9:14 amFrom the Sacramento Bee:
“The water district serving the Placer County community of Foresthill is considering closing up shop is the face of a growing gulf between what residents are willing to pay and what it takes to keep providing clean water.
“There is no money,” new general manager Leo D. Havener said when asked why dissolution is on the table.
The district, with a staff of six, serves 1,900 customers in the Foresthill community.
The district held a special board meeting Wednesday night to talk about the issue. … “
Continue reading from the Sacramento Bee by clicking here.
Webcast links for today’s Delta Stewardship Council meeting
Posted by: Maven on December 15, 2011 at 7:30 amThe Delta Stewardship Council will be meeting today at the State Capitol from 10:00 AM to 4:30 PM. Click here to read the agenda. The Council will be holding a public hearing starting at 1:30 to take public comment on the EIR. (Comments on the EIR are due by February 2.) Click here for the webcast.
San Francisco called out for alleged water waste
Posted by: Maven on December 14, 2011 at 7:37 amFrom the San Francisco Examiner:
“A conservative Central Valley congressman has a bracing message for environmentally conscious San Franciscans.
We waste more water than Southern California.
Former California attorney general and current Gold River Rep. Dan Lungren, a longtime proponent of emptying the Hetch Hetchy reservoir in Yosemite National Park, is calling for a federal investigation into San Francisco’s water use. … “
Continue reading from the San Francisco Examiner by clicking here.
MORE: Feinstein rebuts Hetch Hetchy claims, from the Bay-Citizen
NatGeo’s News Watch: Going without clean water
Posted by: Maven on December 11, 2011 at 6:30 amFrom National Geographic’s News Watch:
“When temperatures dropped to one degree Fahrenheit and my pipes froze this week, I was reminded of how lucky we are, under most circumstances, to be able to turn a valve and watch copious amounts of clean water flow into our sinks, showers, toilets, and washing machines.
In the U.S., we use an average of 100 gallons each day for washing, cooking, cleaning, drinking, (and lawn watering).
This doesn’t account for the water that’s required to grow our food, manufacture our computers, or refine the fuels we rely on to drive our cars and keep our homes, and water, warm. … “
Continue reading from National Geographic’s News Watch by clicking here.
Column: Water cures all of Bay-Delta’s ills
Posted by: Maven on December 7, 2011 at 8:13 amFrom Outdoors columnist Pete Otteson at the Stockton Record:
“If there ever was conclusive evidence that the health of the Delta and the fish that dwell there respond to good quality water and runoff that cleanses the entire estuary, look what’s happening. What we’re seeing is a result of the heavy winter of 2010, and the entire fishery is celebrating.
Take your pick among anadromous species such as striped bass, sturgeon and Chinook salmon. Each has responded with excellent fall runs thanks to the abundant year that allowed enough water to flow through the system and out the Golden Gate. … “
Continue reading this column from the Stockton Record by clicking here.
Webcast link for today’s Natural Resources Committee hearing on Endangered Species Act litigation
Posted by: Maven on December 6, 2011 at 6:30 amThe House Natural Resources Committee will hold a hearing this morning on Endangered Species Act litigation. It is scheduled to start at 10AM EST (7AM PST).
You can read the agenda here. The witness list was never published but includes Brandon Middleton of the Pacific Legal Foundation. You can find a written copy of his testimony here.
The webcast link is here. (The hearing will be in the 1324 hearing room.)
Delta National Park blog on Wanger: “Providing drainage services” to where?
Posted by: Maven on December 4, 2011 at 7:18 amFrom the Delta National Park blog:
“Why all the hand wringing over news that Judge Wanger, in his new career as attorney Wanger, will be representing Westlands Water District?
First, so what? Second, is it really a surprise, especially after his final, September ruling/rant? The case he is involved in is an important one, and a similar thematic of the relationship between shifting ideological winds, fact and science is likely to play out in it.
As we know from Judge Wanger’s last rulings, lots of science is, like a Jackson Pollock painting, open to too much interpretation. … “
Continue reading from the Delta National Park blog by clicking here.
Alex Breitler’s blog: Help wanted
Posted by: Maven on November 30, 2011 at 7:19 amIf you’re qualified to build the peripheral canal/tunnel/thingie, Alex Brietler knows where you can find a job.
Green Roots blog: Using military expertise to help take down the San Clemente Dam?
Posted by: Maven on November 30, 2011 at 7:05 amFrom the Planning & Conservation League’s Green Roots blog:
“Recently, John Woodly, the former Assistant Secretary of the Army of Civil Works, wrote an article citing previous Administrations’ efforts to utilize unique government expertise in public and private sector projects. Specifically, he highlighted a dam removal project in North Carolina as an example of a collaborative effort that brought together civilian biologists and engineers to work with military demolition experts as means of “getting more from each appropriated dollar.” Fortunately, as Woodly noted in the recent article, California too has a dam removal project ripe for government funding.
The San Clemente Dam Removal Project provides an excellent opportunity to maximize the use of public dollars to achieve multiple objectives. The project will remove an unsafe dam, help to restore a vibrant ecosystem along the Carmel River, and in the process can provide prime training for military personnel. … “
Continue reading from the Green Roots blog by clicking here.
Commentary: Can’t live by scenery alone: California’s environmental lobby wages war on rural property owners
Posted by: Maven on November 30, 2011 at 6:39 amFrom Stephen Greenhut, posted at the City Journal:
““Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul alike,” wrote John Muir, in one of his many celebrations of the majesty of the Yosemite Valley. The Scottish-born founder of the Sierra Club recognized that man does not live by bread alone. His latter-day followers, however, seem to have forgotten that man cannot live by natural beauty alone, either. An urban-based environmentalist movement wants to lock up ever-expanding swaths of rural land so that no one can build on them or even work on them. Many rural residents are convinced that California’s powerful environmental lobby wants to “rewild” the landscape and drive them away, turning their communities into glorified playgrounds for urbanites.
The state’s urban areas are massive. Los Angeles County is more populous than 43 states. One of my favorite sights—from a nighttime descent into any one of Southern California’s airports—is the Los Angeles basin spreading out endlessly like successive strings of Christmas tree lights. The San Francisco Bay Area is home to more than 7 million people. California has cities few people have heard of that are more populous than major cities in the Midwest. Big-city voters, especially those who live west of the coastal ranges, are far removed from the ranchers, miners, loggers, and farmers who inhabit the state’s rural regions. … “
Continue reading this commentary by clicking here.
Lodi-area politicians blast Bay Delta Conservation Plan MOA
Posted by: Maven on November 29, 2011 at 8:08 am(Original headline: “Local politicians blast Delta plan”. The media seems to be shortening their headlines to read “Delta Plan” instead of specifying the BDCP MOA. I am changing headlines to reflect this, but I wonder what this is doing in the minds of the general public that may not understand the difference.) From the Lodi News-Sentinel:
“Elected officials from the Lodi area are among those trying to convince authors of a plan that may send Delta waters to the southern San Joaquin Valley and Los Angeles Basin to change their minds.
The sticking point is a “memorandum of agreement” to the Bay-Delta Conservation Plan that the U.S. Department of the Interior adopted in September.
State Sen. Lois Wolk, D-Davis, says that the memorandum of agreement was made among several water agencies and contractors, not Northern California water interests or Delta property owners who rely on the water for the success of their businesses and agricultural production.
“It’s very worrisome,” Wolk told the News-Sentinel on Monday afternoon. … “
Continue reading from the Lodi News-Sentinel by clicking here.
Errata file posted for Section 18 of DSC’s draft EIR
Posted by: Maven on November 28, 2011 at 7:35 amFrom the Delta Stewardship Council:
“An errata file has been posted on the draft EIR page on the DSC website. The file affects Section 18 of the draft EIR. It is labeled: “DEIR Errata (dated November 22, 2011) – Replacing pages 18-5, 18-6, 18-8, 18-14, 18-18, 18-19.”
The entire draft EIR can be reviewed here. The errata file can be reviewed here.”
Photo gallery: Interesting shots of marine life and tide pools along the San Diego coast
Posted by: Maven on November 26, 2011 at 5:52 amCheck out this photo gallery of tidepool pictures taken by San Diego Union-Tribune readers by clicking here. (Hat tip to Matt Weiser’s / Mike Lee’s twitter feed!)
Weekend wrap up: DWR announces initial SWP allocation, the QSA heads to court, Miller and Matsui blast the BDCP, MWD defends its rates for San Diego, plus more …
Posted by: Maven on November 21, 2011 at 8:00 amWelcome to Monday! Here’s your weekend update:
On Friday afternoon, the Department of Water Resources announced an initial allocation of 60 percent of requested deliveries to State Water Project contractors for 2012.
Today, the appeals court in Sacramento is set to take up the QSA issue; On Saturday, both the San Diego Union-Tribune and the Los Angeles Times covered the story. The AP’s story is below this post.
The BDCP was back in the news with this video segment from Wednesday’s public meeting posted at the Central Valley Business Times and Dan Bacher’s commentary that the BDCP agreement is opposed by 242 organizations. Also making news on Saturday, the Union Democrat reported on the water district’s allegations against the feds regarding the salmon on the Stanislaus River.
On Sunday, the SacBee reported on what climate change could mean for California and the Wall Street Journal ran a story about how the draining of lakes affects local communities. Also, Congressmembers Miller and Matsui called the BDCP a political power play, MWD’s Randy Record says Metropolitan’s rates for San Diego are fair, and Lois Henry wrote a column on how Kern water is causing mayhem up and down the state.
Those are just the highlights; be sure to scroll down to see the all the weekend stories….
LAST WEEK’S MOST POPULAR ITEMS: Commentaries received top billing last week, with Tom Elias’s column on our state’s shaky water deals being the most popular, followed by Tom Birmingham’s commentary on the BDCP in last Sunday’s Sacramento Bee. Opportunity Green’s report from the forum on Southern California water moderated by David Nahai was third most popular, followed by the LA Times article on Old Sacramento’s underground tour.
CALENDAR NOTES: With the holiday this week, nothing on the calendar except for the BDCP Finance Working Group meeting on Tuesday.
May this week bless you with plenty to be thankful for!
Webcast link for today’s Delta Stewardship Council meeting
Posted by: Maven on November 18, 2011 at 7:30 amOn the calendar for today:
The Delta Stewardship Council will be meeting today from 09:00am to 3:30pm. You can find the meeting notice here. The meeting will be webcast here: http://cal-span.org/Broadcast/DSC.asx or you can watch the webcast on your smartphone by clicking here.) One of the highlights of today’s meeting is a panel discussion of Delta stressors.
Weekend wrap-up: Klamath Dams removal bill introduced, La Niña is back and Birmingham defends the BDCP … plus a busy week ahead on the calendar!
Posted by: Maven on November 14, 2011 at 6:00 amNot a terribly busy weekend around here, but it’s certainly an action packed week ahead for water meetings on the last full week before the upcoming holiday:
WEEKEND HIGHLIGHTS: In Friday’s news, a bill was introduced in Congress to implement removal of the Klamath Dams, one of the partners in the Baja desalination deal is selling their stake, and the Delta National Park blog responded to the CWB’s sewer analogy and stressors in the Delta. On Saturday, the Fresno Bee reported on the growing La Nina, but the most popular item was about Occupy’s message being heard in the Delta. On Sunday, commentaries dominated the news, with Thomas Birmingham saying the BDCP is following the law, the Record Searchlight saying the Klamath Dams are not ‘perfectly good dams’ at all, and Bonham of the DFG saying that everyone needs to work together to solve the problems in the Scott and Shasta river valleys. Of course, for the full update, you’ll have to scroll down ….
LAST WEEK’S TOP STORIES: The most read item last week was Alex Breitler’s blog post on the BDCP. Top news stories were the follow-up on the Bradford Island landowner and the Fresno Bee story about the lawsuit over irrigation drainage. Many of you also clicked out to find out more about Nunes’ Sacramento Delta and Salmon Preservation Act.
CALENDAR NOTES: It’s a busy week ahead on the calendar! Wednesday is the last day to submit your comments on the BDCP’s MOA. Also on Wednesday, the Delta Conservancy will meet as will the California Water Commission, and later that afternoon, the BDCP will hold a public meeting. On Thursday, the California Water Commission continues its meeting, the Delta Stewardship Council begins the first of a two-day meeting, and the Bureau of Reclamation will host a meeting on the Grasslands Bypass Project. On Friday, the Delta Stewardship Council meeting continues. Those are just the highlights – you can check out the full calendar here.
WEBCASTS FOR THIS WEEK: The BDCP Public Meeting, the California Water Commission meeting and the Delta Stewardship Council meeting will all be webcast. The links will be posted at 7:30am on the days those meetings are in session.
May you have a productive and enjoyable week!
Happy Veterans Day
Posted by: Maven on November 11, 2011 at 7:39 am
Today, we pause to honor America’s Veterans and celebrate their enormous contributions to our way of life.
Few have given more to this nation than those who have served in the armed forces.
Please take a moment today to give thanks to and for our veterans who have served our country admirably and honorably.
Have an enjoyable day!
Column: Endangered Species Act not right tool for water problems
Posted by: Maven on November 9, 2011 at 8:12 amHere’s an column written by John Fleck (of the Inkstain blog) about the Endangered Species Act, years and millions of dollars spent, and distrust between stakeholders … and it’s not about the Delta! (Even though it’s not about California, I post it here because there could be some parallels here.) From the Albuquerque Journal:
“It was hard to sit through last week’s exhaustive, two-day meeting of the Middle Rio Grande Endangered Species Collaborative Program without concluding that the tools we’re trying to use to deal with the Rio Grande silvery minnow are broken.
The evidence boils down to this: A Fish and Wildlife Service chart handed out near the end of the meeting suggests the endangered minnow survived this year of epic drought without a population crash.
But no one is quite sure what that means, because more than a decade and at least $145 million into the program, the participants can’t agree on the most useful way to count fish. … “
Continue reading this column from the Albuquerque Journal by clicking here.
Numbers of fish returning are up in Battle Creek
Posted by: Maven on November 9, 2011 at 6:22 amFrom the Tehama Daily News:
“Larger numbers of threatened Chinook salmon have returned to spawn upstream in newly restored habitat on North Fork Battle Creek, the Bureau of Reclamation and its partners in the Battle Creek Salmon and Steelhead Restoration Project announced Wednesday.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has been performing fish monitoring for many years in Battle Creek.
This fall, over four times the number of spring-run Chinook salmon redds (nests built by fish) were seen further upstream in North Fork Battle Creek, above where the Wildcat Diversion Dam once stood, than in previous years. … “
Continue reading from the Tehama Daily News by clicking here.
Tuesday’s top of the scroll: Salmon vs. stripers policy stirs emotions
Posted by: Maven on November 8, 2011 at 7:35 amFrom the Chico Enterprise-Record:
“Interest is so high in proposed changes to striped bass fishing rules that the state Department of Fish and Game has had to find a larger room for a meeting on the subject Tuesday night.
The meeting will be in the town of Rio Vista, which is near the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta.
Fish and Game wants to change the rules to help solve a problem.
The problem, according to the state agency, is that striped bass, a non-native fish, are devouring young salmon, a native fish, some of which are listed as endangered.
Fish and Game has proposed changing the angling rules so more striped bass will be caught. The agency hopes that will spare the lives of more young salmon and other endangered fish. … “
Continue reading from the Chico Enterprise-Record by clicking here.
MORE COVERAGE:
- Fish and Game hosts forum over controversial changes to striped bass fishing, from the Sacramento Bee
- Changes to striper fishing could be coming soon, from the Roseville Press-Tribune
- Striped Bass Fishing Rules May Change, from Capital Public Radio
SEE ALSO:
- Federal Judge Approves Settlement In Striped Bass Predation Case, background from the Coalition for a Sustainable Delta
TO ATTEND TONIGHT’S MEETING:
Weekend wrap-up: Delta Plan draft EIR, Nunes and Hetch Hetchy, update on DFG’s striped bass workshop, and more
Posted by: Maven on November 7, 2011 at 7:48 amWelcome to Monday! It was a busy weekend around here. To get the full update, you’ll need to scroll down to read it all, but here are some highlights plus a few important calendar notes:
DELTA STEWARDSHIP COUNCIL DRAFT EIR UPDATE: On Friday, the Delta Stewardship Council released its long awaited draft EIR on the Delta plan (you can find the draft EIR here). ACWA expressed their concerns in a statement released later that day. On Saturday, the report was covered by the Contra Costa Times, the AP via the San Francisco Chronicle, and the Stockton Record.
NUNES SAYS CHARGE SAN FRANCISCO MORE FOR USE OF HETCH HETCHY: Also on Saturday’s scroll, Congressman Devin Nunes, mulling over a possible run against Feinstein, sent a letter on Friday to the members of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction suggesting that a portion of the debt reduction could be achieved by charging San Francisco more for the use of Hetch Hetchy. Click here to read the letter. Nunes also plans to introduce new legislation, the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and Salmon Preservation Act. In other Hetch Hetchy news, KQED produced a segment on the Hetch Hetchy retrofit.
STRIPED BASS UPDATE: The Department of Fish and Game released their proposed striped bass regulation changes, plus moved the meeting to a larger venue. Click here for more information from Department of Fish and Game. Also, Dan Bacher has more on the proposed changes and reaction from the fishing community.
SISKIYOU COUNTY: Redding’s Record Searchlight published a trio of stories highlighting the challenges and growing tensions in rural Siskiyou County: Tensions mount in idyllic Siskiyou County in fight over dams, salmon, DFG sued on all sides over Shasta, Scott rivers’ coho, and Siskiyou sheriff’s life-and-death rhetoric alarms tribes, environmental groups.
ALSO IN THE NEWS THIS WEEKEND, The Sacramento Bee says the Bay Delta Conservation Plan is headed down a perilous path, and the Salton Sea Authority prepares to push its own restoration plan to save the beleaguered sea.
LAST WEEK’S TOP STORIES were this Contra Costa Times article about the landowner pushing for control of Bradford Island, followed closely by the San Francisco Chronicle story on the water contractors and the Bay-Delta Conservation Plan. The most-read blog posts were the Inkstain post on the Endangered Species Act and Barry Nelson’s post on fixing the Delta.
CALENDAR NOTES FOR THIS WEEK: Besides the DFG striped bass workshop mentioned above, the Department of Water Resources and the Bureau of Reclamation have scheduled the 2011 Integrated Annual Review of Coordinated Operation of the CVP and SWP on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week. The meeting will be webcast and the links posted at the top of the scroll on the days the meeting is being held. Friday is Veteran’s Day, a state and federal holiday.
May you have an enjoyable day!
Commentary: Valley drowns in water politics
Posted by: Maven on November 1, 2011 at 8:58 amFrom the Fresno Bee, this commentary by Terry Phillips:
“There is no single resource more important to our quality of life than water.
The Kern County Water Agency recently commemorated its 50th anniversary with a day-long conference at Bakersfield College. Participants were interested in working together to plan for the Central Valley’s future water needs.
One popular proposal was the construction of a tunnel bypassing the Delta bottleneck to bring water into our region. Despite its estimated $13 billion price tag and a fifteen-year completion timeline, this idea has been gaining traction among various stakeholders. Other suggested ways to rehydrate our dry fields include desalination plants and more recycling.
Unfortunately, some political forces are attempting to drown our common interests — and our common sense. … “
Continue reading this commentary at the Fresno Bee by clicking here.
California water plight gets lifeline from technology
Posted by: Maven on November 1, 2011 at 8:53 amFrom the Western Farm Press:
“How California can use the latest technology to solve its water supply crisis is the focus of a new Public Broadcast System program co-sponsored by the California Farm Water Coalition.
“This is really a celebration of the creativity and leadership that everyone from family farmers in the Central Valley to the public water agencies that serve our largest cities have implemented in addressing one of California’s biggest challenges for the future,” says Mike Wade, executive director of the California Farm Water Coalition.
The program, “Stretching Our Water Supplies,” will be broadcast on public television stations in California, Oregon and Nevada beginning in November. It is produced by Huell Howser as part of his long-running series on life in California for public television. … “
Continue reading from the Western Farm Press by clicking here.
USGS on YouTube: A study in stream ecology
Posted by: Maven on November 1, 2011 at 8:24 amFrom the USGS, posted on YouTube:
“In this episode we explore how scientists for the USGS National Water Quality Assessment Program investigate the ecological health of rivers and streams across the United States. Focusing on a recent sampling effort along the Minam River in northeast Oregon, this video highlights USGS sampling methods for fish, macroinvertebrates (bugs), algae, and habitat. Join us, as we show biometric data can be used to assess the health of streams, only in this episode of the USGS CoreCast.”
Webcast: State Water Board meets today; Update from the Delta watermaster on the agenda
Posted by: Maven on November 1, 2011 at 7:30 amThe State Water Board will be meeting today from 9am to 3pm. You can read the agenda here. The last item on the agenda is the update from the Delta watermaster and the presentation of a report to the board, Statements of Water Diversions and Use: Providing a Better Picture of Water Use in the Delta.
The meeting will be webcast. You can find webcast information here.
Press release: High Court declines smelt case, but Pacific Legal Foundation’s “save our water” fight continues
Posted by: Maven on October 31, 2011 at 7:59 amThe Pacific Legal Foundation has issued this response:
“”It is disappointing that the Supreme Court chose not to review the federal government’s intrusive and destructive Delta smelt regulations,” said PLF staff attorney Brandon M. Middleton. “But while we’re disappointed, we’re also determined. The legal fight against those regulations goes on, as PLF is active in other litigation over the federal biological opinions for the Delta smelt and other species. Those federal edicts were based on phony science, but their effect has been all too real: They’ve caused devastating water cutoffs that put businesses, farms, and communities on the endangered list.”
“We’ll also keep challenging the feds when they arrogantly ignore the constitutional limits on their power,” said Middleton. “The Delta smelt regulations are far from the only example of federal officials issuing regulations for local species without constitutional authority. We will litigate this issue until the Supreme Court ultimately agrees to take it up. This is a long-term battle to stop federal intrusion that robs people of their livelihoods and liberties, and undermines the basic framework of the Constitution.” … “
Read the full text from the Pacific Legal Foundation by clicking here.
Spectacular time-lapse video of Condit Dam removal
Posted by: Maven on October 31, 2011 at 6:35 amFrom National Geographic (hat tip to the Water Sisweb!):
“For 98 years, the 125-foot high Condit Dam in southeastern Washington State held back the White Salmon River, creating a serene lake, but choking off the waterway to salmon. Wednesday, in an historic effort, the dam was dramatically breached, and ecologists hope the increased flow of water will restore the waterway to fish and other aquatic organisms, as well as the birds and mammals that rely on them. … “
Check out the video and continue reading from National Geographic by clicking here. (Note: The really cool part on the video starts at about 1:10 or so.)
Peter Gleick: Bad science leads to bad policy, no matter your political beliefs
Posted by: Maven on October 29, 2011 at 6:43 amFrom Peter Gleick at the Huffington Post:
“Anti-science mania is sweeping parts of the United States. This isn’t new — there is a long history of irrational, pseudoscientific, or downright anti-scientific thinking and political culture here — ironic, given how much our founding fathers like Benjamin Franklin valued science. Examples include creationism, moon-landing denialism, claims linking vaccines to autism, denials that tobacco causes cancer long after the science was in, and especially the denial of climate change and global warming. This anti-science mentality is especially discouraging given how vital America’s scientific and technological strengths are to our economic and political strengths.
For reasons that a political scientist or sociologist would have to explore, this is a problem especially of the Republican right. For example, it is most evident in the lockstep, ideological denial of the realities of climate change by nearly all of the Republican presidential candidates and congressional representatives. … “
Continue reading from Peter Gleick at the Huffington Post by clicking here.
Murky Waters: Helix Water District limits input of directors and public in hiring general manager
Posted by: Maven on October 28, 2011 at 7:42 amFrom the East County Magazine:
“Without calling for a vote, Helix Water District Board Director DeAna Verbeke announced during the October 19 board meeting that a subcommittee of two board and two staff members, not the full board, will handle screening applications to replace retiring General Manager Mark Weston. Verbeke then appointed herself and board member Chuck Muse (who was absent), to comprise the subcommittee charged with narrowing the field of applications to a handful for the full board to review.
Her announcement drew gasps from the audience and was made over the persistent objections of board member Kathleen Hedberg and the public.
Taking the action without a vote puts the jurisdiction in legally murky water, an attorney specializing in open government laws has informed ECM. … “
Continue reading from East County Magazine by clicking here.
Water Culture blog: Ethics of agricultural water transfers
Posted by: Maven on October 26, 2011 at 7:32 amFrom the Water Culture blog (hat tip to John Fleck’s twitter feed):
“California farmers are being paid not to plant so Los Angeles and nearby cities can use the water that would otherwise go to (mostly low value) crops, says an article in the New York Times yesterday. The water is worth a lot when reallocated to urban use, so it’s not hard to offer farmers a lot of money for the privilege of borrowing their water for a season. The blowback from this kind of arrangement is that local farming economies — the ancillary services that depend on crop production as the base of a large economic pyramid (with the bankers on top, but we won’t go into that!) — get undermined when some farmers stop producing. When a lot of farmers stop producing, the local economy suffers even more, and the speculation is that, as with climate change, there is probably a tipping point where local farming-based economies will collapse. … “
Continue reading from the Water Culture blog by clicking here.
Reps, residents and ranchers worry about water exporters control over Delta plan
Posted by: Maven on October 24, 2011 at 7:20 amFrom Dan Aiello at the Examiner:
“At an oversight hearing in Sacramento last week, Assemblymember Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael),chairman of the Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee voiced concern that water exporters will have unprecedented control over the content and focus of a plan that would steer the state’s water policies for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta over next fifty years.
The hearing on the Bay-Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP) was the fifth held by Huffman, whose district is stretched from the Delta, the largest wetlands estuary west of the Mississippi, west to coastal communities north of the Golden Gate – many of which are dependent on commercial fishing of the endangered Delta Salmon. … “
Continue reading from the Examiner by clicking here.
First icy star-disc hints at source of Earth’s water
Posted by: Maven on October 21, 2011 at 6:06 amFrom Science Daily:
“For the first time, astronomers have found a planet-forming disc around a star that is awash with frozen water. The discovery adds credence to the idea that Earth got its water from comets – especially as the disc seems to contain enough water to fill Earth’s oceans thousands of times over.
Hot water vapour has previously been detected in the inner part of the planet-forming discs of nascent, alien solar systems. But this is too close to the central star to be incorporated into the forming planets.
By contrast, the new observations are of water in the form of ice grains, which can exist only in the frigid outer reaches of a planet-forming disc. It is there that they can ultimately coalesce into planets and comets. … “
Aquafornia's Information Desk
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |||
| 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
| 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
| 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
| 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | |||
Click here for full-sized calendar
Aquafornia's Photos on Flickr
Aquafornia's Mission
Aquafornia's mission is to educate readers about the complex and often controversial issues surrounding water in California.
Aquafornia is affiliated with the Water Education Foundation, an impartial, nonprofit organization, whose mission is to create a better understanding of water resources and foster public understanding and resolution of water resource issues through facilitation, education and outreach.
E-mail Newsletter
To receive email announcements from the Water Education Foundation, sign up here.
Web Resources
Agriculture
Climate Change & Water
Conservation
Current Conditions
Delta & SF Bay Resources
- Bay Delta Developments
- Bay Institute
- Bay-Delta Conservation Plan
- Delta Atlas
- Delta Protection Commission
- Delta Stewardship Council
- Delta Vision Foundation
- Delta WaterMaster
- Discover the Delta Foundation
- Restore the Delta
- San Francisco Bay and Delta (Access USGS)
- San Francisco Baykeeper
- San Francisco Estuary and Watershed Science website
- San Francisco Estuary Partnership
Employment & Water
Environmental Organizations
Fishing Blogs/Organizations
Investing & Water
Landscaping
Legal Blogs
Legislative Committees - State & Federal
- California State Assembly Committee on Water, Parks and Wildlife
- California State Senate Committee on Natural Resources & Water
- House Natural Resource Committee, Water & Power Subcommittee
- New State Water Legislation Mandates (KMTG)
- Senate Commitee on Environment & Public Works, Water and Wildlife Subcommittee
- The California Channel
Los Angeles River
Maven's Other Websites
News
Public Policy Organizations
Regional Water Associations
Salton Sea
Stormwater & Flood Control
Water Agencies
- ACWA – Association of California Water Agencies
- Bay Area Water Supply and Conservation Agency
- Contra Costa Water District
- East Bay Municipal Utility District
- Imperial Irrigation District
- Kern County Water Agency
- Long Beach Water Department
- Los Angeles Department of Water & Power
- Metropolitan Water District
- Municipal Water District of Orange County
- San Diego County Water Authority
- Santa Clara Valley Water District
- Sonoma County Water Agencies
- South San Joaquin Irrigation District
- State Water Contractors
- West Basin Municipal Water District
- Westlands Water District
Water Agencies - State & Federal
Water Blogs
- ACWA's Voices in Water blog
- Aguanomics
- Alex Breitler's Blog
- American Water Resources Assn. Blog
- Barry Nelson at the NRDC Switchboard
- Bay Delta Blog
- California Water Blog
- California Water Wars blog
- Chance of Rain
- Chronicles of the Hydraulic Brotherhood
- Delta National Park Blog
- EDF's On The Waterfront
- Greed, Green & Grains
- Green Roots Blog (PCL)
- GrokSurf's San Diego blog
- Inkstain – jfleck
- Klam Blog
- L. A. Creek Freak
- On the Public Record
- Peter Gleick’s City Brights blog
- Restore the Delta's blog
- Southern California Water Committee Blog
- Spouting Off – Mark Gold of Heal the Bay
- State of the Planet Blog
- The California Spigot
- Thirsty in Suburbia
- Tom Philp's Blog
- Valley Economy Blog
- Water Cooler Blog
- Water Librarian's Blog
- Water SISWEB
- Waterblogged (Shawn McKinnon)
- Watering the Desert
- WaterWired
Water Information
News Article Archives
- Agriculture
- Aquafornia News & Exclusives
- Central Valley Project
- Climate change & water supply
- Conservation
- Delta Issues
- Desalination
- Development & Population
- Drinking Water & Bottled Water
- Drought Tolerant Landscaping
- Drought, Weather & Snowpack
- Energy & Water
- Events
- Flood Control/Stormwater
- General Water Issues
- Groundwater
- History
- Indian Water Rights
- Infrastructure
- Innovative Ideas
- International Water Issues
- Invasive Plants & Species
- Investing in water
- Legislation – State & Federal
- Levees
- National water news
- Oceans & Beaches
- People in the News
- Politics of Water
- Recycled Water
- Regional Water Issues
- San Joaquin River Restoration
- State Water Project (DWR)
- Storage and supply
- Transfers
- Uncategorized
- Water Agency News
- Water Banking
- Water Quality
- Water Rights
- Weird & Wacky Water News
- Wildlife & Endangered Species