New Year’s Eve top of the scroll: Good news, bad news for fish in Delta
Posted by: Maven on December 31, 2010 at 9:03 amWhatever your plans for festivities tonight, may you have a wonderful and safe New Year’s Eve! From the Contra Costa Times:
“Delta fish continued to languish at depressed levels in 2010, according to the latest numbers from the state Department of Fish and Game.
A key annual survey performed each fall showed the Delta smelt population continues to hover at a level some biologists believe is near extinction, while year-old striped bass, a popular sport fish, dropped to a record low.
Not all the news for Delta fish is bad, though. Salmon returns this year have been the strongest in a couple of years, leading to optimism that anglers may get more than the paltry eight-day fishing season commercial fishermen got in off California in 2010 — a season that followed two years of unprecedented closures. … “
Continue reading from the Contra Costa Times by clicking here.
Peripheral Canal returns as Conveyance Tunnels
Posted by: Maven on December 31, 2010 at 9:01 amFrom the Central Valley Business Journal:
“After four years and $140 million, the Bay Delta Conservation Pln (BDCP) released its plan that features and favors a twin tunnel conveyance facility that would route water from the Sacramento River around the Delta to the massive government pumps near Tracy.
The two 33-foot diameter tunnels described in the plan would funnel as much as 15,000 cubic feet per second of water away from the Delta which wouldn’t necessarily be a bad idea except there is nothing in the plan to replace the rerouted water.
The plan also proposes the restoration of thousands of acres to marshes and flood plains to augment endangered species and threatened fish populations. … “
Continue reading from the Central Valley Business Journal by clicking here.
Doug Obegi’s New Year’s hopes and resolutions for California water policy
Posted by: Maven on December 31, 2010 at 8:51 amFrom Doug Obegi at the NRDC Switchboard blog:
“‘Tis the season to be making resolutions for the coming year. With a new Governor taking office in California next week, and tons of rain and snow marking a great start to the water year, what more could I ask for? Well, here’s what I’m hoping for in 2011:
(1) Fish populations in the Delta rebound, and enough salmon return to have a real salmon fishing season in California.
After 2 years of complete closure for the first time in the state’s history, in 2010 California’s salmon fishery was open for 8 days for commercial fishing. It’s been three years since wild California salmon has been found in supermarkets or on most people’s dinner plates. For fishermen and fishing communities, these closures have cost hundreds of millions of dollars in lost income and thousands of jobs. So far this year, early returns are showing salmon returning in greater numbers than the record low numbers of last year, but the returns are far below those of a decade ago (and some runs, like the winter run Chinook, look to be in very bad shape this year). Let’s hope that ecosystem protections in the Bay Delta and our rivers, combined with better ocean conditions, will yield enough salmon for a decent fishing season in 2011. … “
Continue reading from the NRDC Switchboard blog by clicking here.
Delta National Park blog: Judge Wanger and Miracle on 34th Street
Posted by: Maven on December 31, 2010 at 8:48 amFrom the Delta National Park blog:
“The DNP team,* while watching Miracle on 34th Street on Christmas day, was reminded of Judge Wanger’s not-so-stalwart BiOps ruling.
Is there or is there not a Santa Claus, movie judge Henry X. Harper must decide. Of course, Harper decides that yes, there is a Santa, and now Judge Wanger hopes he’ll bring so much water to California’s water collection apparatus that all of the boys and girls are fat and happy and more important, indifferent again to the problem of scarcity.
Real-life Judge Wanger must decide whether the threats that the Delta smelt faces from water export are real enough to warrant judicial support of state and federal agencies charged with producing the scientifically rigorous but legally vulnerable measurables that trigger the Endangered Species Act’s restraints on various forms of development. … “
Continue reading from the Delta National Park blog by clicking here.
Pacific Legal Foundation: Some light holiday reading on the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta litigation
Posted by: Maven on December 31, 2010 at 8:39 amFrom the Pacific Legal Foundation’s Liberty Blog:
“Just in time for the New Year’s holiday weekend, the Federalist Society has published my article on The Consolidated Delta Smelt Cases and The Consolidated Salmonid Cases currently being litigated in Fresno.
The article, “The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Litigation: A Brief Summary,” discusses the significant National Environmental Policy Act and preliminary injunctive relief decisions issued by Judge Wanger over the last year in both the delta smelt and salmonid cases. The article also goes over the district court’s decision to uphold the delta smelt restrictions against PLF’s Commerce Clause challenge. It does not, however, discuss in detail Judge Wanger’s recent summary judgment decision in The Consolidated Delta Smelt Cases, as the article was actually completed and submitted to the Federalist Society a few months ago. … “
You can find links to the article at the Federalist Society at the Liberty Blog by clicking here.
Peter Gleick: The 2010 Climate B.S.* of the Year Award
Posted by: Maven on December 31, 2010 at 8:37 amFrom Peter Gleick at the City Brights blog:
“2010 saw widespread and growing evidence of rapidly warming global climate and strengthening scientific understanding of how humans are contributing to climate change. Yet on the policy front, little happened to stem the growing emissions of greenhouse gases or to help societies prepare for increasingly severe negative climate impacts, including now unavoidable changes in temperature, rainfall patterns, sea-level rise, snowpack, glacial extent, Arctic sea ice, and more. These physical impacts will lead to sharply increased disease, military and economic instabilities, food and water shortages, and extreme weather events, among other things. Without appropriate risk management action, the United States will be hit hard. There is no safe haven. Yet confusion and uncertainty about climate change remain high in the minds of too many members of the public and Congress. … “
Continue reading from Peter Gleick at the City Brights blog by clicking here.
Congressman Tom McClintock appointed Chairman of the House Water and Power Subcommittee
Posted by: Maven on December 31, 2010 at 8:35 am
From the website of Congressman Tom McClintock:
“Representative Tom McClintock, CA-04, has been appointed Chairman of the Water and Power Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee in the 112th Congress. McClintock served as Ranking Member of the subcommittee in the previous Congress, earning a reputation as a strong advocate for developing the nation’s natural resources.
“I am pleased to announce the appointment of Tom McClintock as the Chairman of the Water and Power Subcommittee,” said in-coming House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings. “As Ranking Member he fought to restore abundance as the principal objective of federal water and power policy and to protect jobs by factoring people back into the water supply equation. I look forward to his leadership in advancing these policies in the 112th Congress.”
“The Water and Power Subcommittee can shape policy that is of critical importance to the people of the 4th Congressional District,” McClintock said. “By returning to time-tested priorities of water storage, flood protection and hydroelectric generation we can strengthen our economy, create conditions for permanent and productive jobs and protect the environment. Restoring these policies will be a major focus of the subcommittee.”
About the House Water and Power Subcommittee
As the authorizing Subcommittee for the Bureau of Reclamation and the federal power marketing administrations, the Subcommittee on Water and Power is involved in all aspects of shaping federal policies for water and power resources management. Jurisdiction includes Bureau of Reclamation multi-purpose dams, which provide irrigated waters, hydropower, flood control, recreation and fish and wildlife benefits.”
Klamath study peer reviews released
Posted by: Maven on December 31, 2010 at 8:30 amFrom the Siskiyou Daily News:
“With multiple studies underway to inform the decision of whether or not to remove four dams along the Klamath River, peer review has been and is being conducted and reported – with the Siskiyou Daily News receiving two reports Wednesday.
The peer review process is being facilitated by the consulting firm PBS&J, and Siskiyou County Counsel Thomas Guarino had requested the documents earlier this year, including the peer review reports on the studies “Effects of sediment release following dam removal on the aquatic biota of the Klamath River” from Stillwater Sciences and “Effects of Two Management Scenarios for the Secretarial Determination on Removal of the Lower Four Dams on the Klamath River.” … “
Continue reading from the Siskiyou Daily News by clicking here.
Rain invigorates rangelands, stock ponds
Posted by: Maven on December 31, 2010 at 8:27 amFrom the Capital Press:
“California’s abundant December rain has provided a dramatic improvement in livestock producers’ rangelands and stock ponds.
Two years ago, a prolonged drought left 95 percent of the state’s grazing lands in poor or very poor condition, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s rating on rangelands.
Now beginning their second winter of receiving ample precipitation, most of the state’s grassy hillsides and meadows have made it back to good health, notes Matt Byrne, the California Cattlemen’s Association’s executive vice president. … “
Continue reading from the Capital Press by clicking here.
Solano-based firm criticizes state for lack of work on levees
Posted by: Maven on December 31, 2010 at 8:20 amFrom the Contra Costa Times:
“If the state’s levees fail, drinking water statewide would suddenly essentially vanish, experts say.
A new Solano County business, with a Mare Island site, produces the material to build, repair and maintain the levees, but its managers said Thursday that for two years there’s been no state money for such efforts.
DI Aggregate Management, which donates up to 100 tons of sand to Vallejo annually, was founded by San Diego-based Ranch Capital in 2008. It had plans to work on the state’s levee system, but officials have had to find other customers for the so-called PG&E-grade sand mined from the Solano County island the company owns, said CEO Thomas Farrell, Jr. … “
Continue reading from the Contra Costa Times by clicking here.
Winter storms bring positive outlook for water supply
Posted by: Maven on December 31, 2010 at 8:18 amFrom the California Ag Network:
“The rainfall this fall and winter has brought reservoirs and season totals to above normal levels. As of 4 p.m. yesterday, Fresno’s total rainfall season to date was 5.47 inches, as compared to last year’s season to date, 2.87 inches, according to the Fresno Bee Almanac.
Reservoirs are filling at steady rates. As of midnight on Dec. 21, Shasta storage was approximately 3,338,172 acre feet, or 73 percent of capacity, as compared to 1,736,848 acre feet one year ago, according to the California Department of Water Resources, California Data Exchange Center. … “
Continue reading from the California Ag Network by clicking here.
Water welcomed by valley farmers
Posted by: Maven on December 31, 2010 at 8:17 amFrom Fresno’s ABC Channel 30:
“Water is coming over the top of Friant Dam. The Army Corps of Engineers is releasing water at the rate of four thousand cubic feet per second. That compares with just a week ago when only 30 cubic feet per second was flowing from the dam.
Mario Santoyo, Director of the Friant Water Users Authority is sad to see all the water go away. “I feel bad, it’s & we know that it’s really producing no benefit. It’s not benefitting cities and it’s not benefitting agriculture.” Santoyo said. … “
Continue reading from ABC Channel 30 by clicking here, or watch below.
Success Dam water worries: Officials says dam is safe
Posted by: Maven on December 31, 2010 at 8:13 amFrom the Porterville Recorder:
“Officials said Wednesday Success Dam is safe despite an increasing water level due to recent storms.
Calvin Foster, operations area manager for the Sacramento District Corps of Engineers at the lake, said he and his engineers are “mitigating any risk” and will continue to do so as more rain is expected.
“Public safety is our number one concern,” he said. … “
Continue reading from the Porterville Recorder by clicking here.
Southern California must do more to save surplus water for the future, says the Daily News
Posted by: Maven on December 31, 2010 at 8:09 amFrom the Los Angeles Daily News:
“The rain drenching Southern California this month may well be the ticket out of the three-year water shortage that has brought strict conservation tactics up and down the state. It’s the wettest December recorded in more than 100 years, and could be the start of a wet winter.
That is wonderful news, of course. But it’s no time for the public or public agencies to relax their good water habits. This respite will be temporary, if it comes at all. Southern California will always have fluctuations in rainfall, but even the wettest winter can’t change the inescapable fact that the availability of imported water is dropping even as population of the region is growing. … “
Continue reading from the Los Angeles Daily News by clicking here.
Heavy rains bode well for 2011 water supplies
Posted by: Maven on December 31, 2010 at 8:04 amFrom the Victorville Daily Press:
“The water content in California’s mountain snowpack is nearly double the average for this time of year, according to data released this week by the Department of Water Resources.
That bodes well for the amount of water contractors will be able to freely pump from the state aquifer, which should allow the local Mojave Water Agency to store more of this year’s plentiful rains for future dry years.
“This boosts our hopes that we will have an adequate water supply for our cities and farms as we continue to shake off effects of the 2007-2009 drought,” DWR Director Mark Cowin said in a statement. … “
Continue reading from the Victorville Press by clicking here.
After all this rain, will San Diego drop water restrictions?
Posted by: Maven on December 31, 2010 at 8:02 amFrom San Diego’s KFMB -TV:
“You might be wondering what all of the rain means for San Diego’s water restrictions.
Since June 2009, the city has been under a level 2 drought alert, with mandatory restrictions on things like running your sprinklers or washing your car. Authorities say don’t expect those restrictions to be lifted anytime soon.
The storms before Christmas dumped more rain in a six-day period than ever recorded in San Diego, and transformed Qualcomm Stadium into a pool. Then there was more rain this week, and more in the forecast. … “
Continue reading from KFMB by clicking here.
Thursday’s top of the scroll: Tsakopoulos Tri-City group completes Conaway Ranch deal
Posted by: Maven on December 30, 2010 at 7:22 amFrom the Sacramento Bee:
“A company controlled by Sacramento developer Angelo K. Tsakopoulos announced Wednesday that it had completed its takeover of the 17,300-acre Conaway Ranch in Yolo County.
The largest privately owned parcel in the Yolo Bypass, the ranch possesses vast resources of water, farmland and habitat for threatened species and may be key to state and federal efforts to protect the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta while keeping water flowing to Southern California.
Tsakopoulos’ Tri-City Water and Farm bought a controlling interest in current owner Conaway Preservation Group for an undisclosed sum, the company said in a news release. Public records of the transaction were not available Wednesday. … “
Continue reading from the Sacramento Bee by clicking here.
Western Weather Blog: What will your New Years Eve weather be like?
Posted by: Maven on December 30, 2010 at 7:19 amFrom Accu-Weather’s Western Weather blog:
“This is my last shift and blog posting for 2010 and I wont be back at my desk until Tuesday. I will be enjoying some long awaited time off for the Holiday season. I will be joining fellow blogger,(and son), Brian and his girlfriend for much of the time. I am sure am looking forward to that!
So I thought I would give you some idea of what to expect weather wise for your New years eve festivities. In general it will be just cold and mostly precipitation free in the Western States. There will be a little leftover snow or snow shower activity in the eastern Rockies but nothing like the snow that area gets Thursday and Thursday night. … “
Continue reading, plus check out the temperature charts for New Year’s Eve, by clicking here.
DWR releases 2010 Accomplishment documents
Posted by: Maven on December 30, 2010 at 7:15 amFrom ACWA’s Water News:
“DWR has released a fact sheet detailing its accomplishments on the California Water Plan in 2010, including developments in content, collaboration and outreach. … “
For more information and links to the accomplishment documents, click here.
DFG survey shows continued collapse of Delta fish
Posted by: Maven on December 30, 2010 at 7:13 amFrom Dan Bacher at IndyBay.org:
“The results of the just-released California Department of Fish and Game annual survey of pelagic (open water) species in the California Delta continue to demonstrate an estuary in collapse.
The Fall Midwater Trawl Survey, which produces indices of “relative abundance,” has been conducted since 1967. “The collapse of Delta species mirrors the decline of salmonids,” said Bill Jennings, chairman/executive director of the California Sportfishing Alliance (CSPA).
Sacramento River fall-run Chinook salmon, numbering nearly 800,000 in 2002, dropped to 90,000 in 2007, to 66,264 in 2008 and to a record low of 39,530 in 2009 before rebounding slightly this year. The collapse resulted in the closure of commercial and recreational fishing off the California and southern Oregon coast in 2008 and 2009, a very limited commercial salmon fishing this year and severely restricted recreational salmon fishing seasons on the Sacramento over the past three years. … “
Continue reading from Dan Bacher at IndyBay.org by clicking here.
Water Wired: Water, Volume 2, Issue 4 (December 2010) – Online journal now available
Posted by: Maven on December 30, 2010 at 7:11 amFrom the Water Wired blog:
“The online journal Water’s new issue is now available, pp. 711-937. Downloads are free.
There are 12 papers. They cover a variety of topics: IWRM; engineering, wetlands; global water sustainability, ET; water quality; geohydrology; and more. Several are grouped into ‘special issues’. … “
Continue reading from the Water Wired blog by clicking here.
Winter releases from Folsom Dam change river’s character
Posted by: Maven on December 30, 2010 at 7:08 amFrom the Sacramento Bee:
“Sacramento may be 100 miles from the ocean, but it’s still a community defined by water.
The past two weeks offered a powerful reminder, as both the Sacramento and American rivers have swelled substantially in response to a stormy December. Such high flows haven’t been seen since the winter of 2005-06.
For some, it’s an inconvenience. Parts of the American River Parkway bike path went underwater two weeks ago when releases from Folsom Dam were doubled – to 30,000 cubic feet per second – to make way for upstream runoff. This forced some bicycle commuters to find a detour. … “
Continue reading from the Sacramento Bee by clicking here.
Rio Linda-Elverta water district to consider hiring interim manager
Posted by: Maven on December 30, 2010 at 6:54 amFrom the Sacramento Bee:
“The Rio Linda-Elverta water district will hold a special meeting at 7 p.m. today to appoint an interim general manager.
The board is considering hiring Dave Andres, who served as the district’s general manager from 2002 to 2006. He then became the general manager of a water district in Calaveras County. … “
Continue reading from the Sacramento Bee by clicking here.
Central California yields bumper crop of solar power projects
Posted by: Maven on December 30, 2010 at 6:41 amFrom the Solar Home & Business Journal:
“It may be the middle of nowhere, but the sun shines brightly in the coast foothill range just over the hill from the southern San Joaquin Valley in California.
This rural landscape west of Interstate 5 has some other appealing attributes: It is crisscrossed with high-voltage transmission lines, and it is far from most people’s backyards. That limits the pitch and extent of complaints that always come with energy projects, even those that create zero emissions.
Now, several energy developers are nearing the end game, ready to receive their county-level permits to move forward on around 2,000 megawatts of solar photovoltaic power on former farmland in San Luis Obispo, Kings and Kern counties. … “
Continue reading from the Solar Home & Business Journal by clicking here.
Santa Clarita: Do more to protect our water supply, says commentary
Posted by: Maven on December 30, 2010 at 6:38 amFrom the Santa Clarita Signal, this commentary by Cam Noltemeyer:
“This rainy New Year’s holiday presents a gift, an opportunity and a question.
The rain (and snow in the mountains) is a gift that is helping to replenish our water supply and improve water quality.
As rain fills the Santa Clara River and turns our hillsides green, it also is recharging our local groundwater aquifers and is flushing out the chloride salts that caused such a heated debate earlier this year.But as the river is narrowed by berms and filling the floodplain, the velocity at which this water moves out of our community has increased dramatically. … “
Continue reading this commentary by clicking here.
More California rains threaten Rose Parade, but cheer farmers
Posted by: Maven on December 30, 2010 at 6:35 amFrom the Christian Science Monitor:
““It’s good news, it’s bad news and it’s ‘Que sera, sera’ news,” says the school teacher on break, buying a latte at a Sherman Oaks coffee shop. Five other patrons are staring up at black clouds beneath silver ones as a slight mist sprays the window.
The big question forecasters are asking is whether it will rain on Pasadena’s iconic Rose Parade this Saturday and, less critically, the football game between Texas Christian University and Wisconsin. One and a quarter inches are forecast by Friday on top of record rains – the wettest December since 1889 – here all last week. The Weather Channel says it will be partly cloudy New Year’s Day following a partly sunny Friday. … “
Continue reading from the Christian Science Monitor by clicking here.
Big environmental issues arise in Long Beach waters
Posted by: Maven on December 30, 2010 at 6:33 amFrom the Long Beach Gazette:
“The environment was big in Long Beach this year – whether issues touched on big ideas, big projects or even state and national issues. The water around the region, and how best to improve it or mitigate damage to it, dominated the news.
Breakwater Study
Advocates of the city’s beach and ocean quality claimed victory in November when the City Council officially entered into an agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to begin the East San Pedro Bay Ecosystem Restoration Study. … “
Continue reading from the Long Beach Gazette by clicking here.
Reclamation’s Davis Dam to serve as Lower Colorado River regulatory power source on Wednesday, Jan. 5
Posted by: Maven on December 30, 2010 at 6:27 amFrom the Bureau of Reclamation:
“On Wednesday, January 5, Davis Dam will provide additional energy for the Western Area Power Administration, if needed, to meet energy demands throughout the Southwest.
From 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. PST, 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. MST, water releases from Davis Dam could vary from 4,600 cubic feet per second (cfs) up to 14,000 cfs in 15 minute intervals. If the release is required, Colorado River levels through the Laughlin/Bullhead City area could vary by as much as two to four feet. … “
Continue reading from the Bureau of Reclamation by clicking here.
Arizona’s gamble—Conserve water now, prevent deeper cuts tomorrow
Posted by: Maven on December 30, 2010 at 6:15 amFrom the Circle of Blue Water News:
“A proposal to leave more of Arizona’s share of the Colorado River in the Lake Mead reservoir above Hoover Dam has been announced by state officials in hopes to avoid more stringent, mandatory cuts, The Arizona Republic reports.
The plan calls for Arizona to give up 80,000 acre-feet—about three percent—out of its 2.8 million acre-foot allotment for 2011. The foregone water, which would be taken from the state’s aquifer recharge program and would not affect any current users, would raise the surface elevation of Lake Mead by one foot.
Though seemingly an insignificant amount, every inch of elevation buys time and space for Arizona, California, and Nevada … “
Continue reading from the Circle of Blue Water News by clicking here.
Wednesday’s top of the scroll: Good signs for California water supply in snowpack survey
Posted by: Maven on December 29, 2010 at 8:16 amFrom the San Francisco Chronicle:
“The Sierra Nevada is looking pretty after weeks of heavy snowfall, and skiers and snowboarders aren’t the only ones admiring the view.
California’s water managers were optimistic after Tuesday’s trek into the powdery wilderness to survey the state’s frozen water supply.
The water content of the snow in the Sierra is nearly 200 percent of average for late December, according to measurements taken manually and electronically throughout the state. … “
Continue reading from the San Francisco Chronicle by clicking here.
MORE COVERAGE:
- California snowpack holding twice amount of water, from the AP via the San Francisco Chronicle
- California snowpack is deepest for December in 17 years, from the Silicon Valley Mercury News
- Wet December brings nearly double the snowpack, from the Los Angeles Times
- Huge snow pack boosts spirits for water deliveries, from the San Diego Union Tribune
ALSO:
Vision for ag’s future outlined
Posted by: Maven on December 29, 2010 at 8:01 amFrom the Porterville Recorder:
“A two-year statewide process to come up with a vision to preserve the state’s No. 1 industry — agriculture — resulted in a report that outlines 12 key strategies.
Over the last two years, the California State Board of Food and Agriculture has been working on the California Agricultural Vision (Ag Vision) — a process to result in a strategic plan for the future of the state’s agriculture and food system. The motivation was the rapidly growing list of challenges facing agriculture, from regulations and water supplies to urbanization and climate change.
As part of the process, several “listening sessions” were held around the state, with the largest turnout for the Tulare County session in July of 2008. … “
Continue reading from the Porterville Recorder by clicking here.
RELATED: California Ag Vision Praised by EDF, press release from the Environmental Defense Fund
Meetings set on proposed long-term ‘north-to-south’ transfers environmental document prep
Posted by: Maven on December 29, 2010 at 7:56 amFrom the Bureau of Reclamation, this press release:
“The Bureau of Reclamation and the San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority have scheduled public meetings on topics to address in a joint Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR) on the effects of proposed water transfers from willing sellers in northern California to buyers south of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and in the San Francisco Bay Area.
The EIS/EIR will address transfers of Central Valley Project (CVP) water through CVP or State Water Project facilities, and transfers of non-CVP water supplies that require the use of CVP facilities. Individual and multi-year water transfers could occur through various methods, including groundwater substitution and cropland idling, from 2012 through 2022.
Meetings to solicit comment on topics to be addressed in the EIS/EIR have been scheduled for:
• Chico: Tuesday, January 11, 6 p.m.-8 p.m., 1110 W. East Avenue, Chico Masonic Family Center
• Sacramento: Wednesday, January 12, 2 p.m.-4 p.m., 1413 Howe Avenue, Best Western Expo Inn
• Los Banos: Thursday, January 13, 6 p.m-8 p.m., 842 Sixth Street, Los Banos, San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water AuthorityWritten comments on the scope of the EIS/EIR should be received by close of business Friday, February 11, 2011, and should be sent to Brad Hubbard, Bureau of Reclamation, 2800 Cottage Way, MP-410, Sacramento CA 95825, via e-mail to bhubbard@usbr.gov, or faxed to 916-978-5290. For additional information, please contact Mr. Hubbard at 916-978-5204 (TTY 916-978-5608)or Frances Mizuno, San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority, P.O. Box 2157, Los Banos CA, 93635, at 209-832-6200.
Reclamation is the largest wholesale water supplier and the second largest producer of hydroelectric power in the United States, with operations and facilities in the 17 Western States. Its facilities also provide substantial flood control, recreation, and fish and wildlife benefits. Visit our website at http://www.usbr.gov
What will happen to property values if the Klamath dams are removed?
Posted by: Maven on December 29, 2010 at 7:52 amFrom the Siskiyou Daily News:
“If it is decided that the dams will be removed, the attendant reservoirs will be drained – the potential for which has prompted concerns from property owners near the Copco and Iron Gate Reservoirs that their property values will be drastically affected and they will be unable to sell their homes or land.
The United States Department of the Interior (DOI) reported in its Klamath Project Scoping Report that members of the public suggested that real estate studies incorporate a determination of the number of people interested in buying lakefront property, an assessment of how property values have been affected by the potential dam removal and how, if property values severely decline as a result of dam removal, that may constitute a “taking” by the government. … “
Continue reading from the Siskiyou Daily News by clicking here.
PLF’s Liberty Blog: The California Dep’t of Fish and Game and regulatory overreach: not what the doctor ordered
Posted by: Maven on December 29, 2010 at 7:50 amFrom the Pacific Legal Foundation’s Liberty Blog:
“For years, ranchers in Northern California have relied upon water rights in order to provide an adequate supply of irrigation water for their crops and family businesses. Many of these ranchers hold what are called “pre-1914 water rights,” giving them historical and significant certainty that their water will be there ready to use when it is most needed.
Unfortunately, the California Department of Fish and Game is currently engaged in an attempt to effectively deprive the ranchers of their water rights. Based on an extreme interpretation of the state’s Fish and Game Code, the Department claims that folks in Siskiyou County need a permit to exercise their water rights. … “
Continue reading from the Pacific Legal Foundation’s Liberty Blog by clicking here.
Navarro, Russian rivers expected to crest early Wednesday
Posted by: Maven on December 29, 2010 at 7:34 amFrom the Ukiah Daily Journal:
“Flooding is predicted throughout Mendocino County today with rain continuing inland and snow levels expected to drop as low as 1,000 feet tonight and Thursday night, according to the National Weather Service.
The Navarro River at Navarro and the Russian River at Hopland were predicted to reach flood stage overnight Tuesday and were expected to crest between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m. today, according to NWS Senior Meteorologist Carol Ciliberti.
Both rivers were under a flood watch Tuesday night, and water levels were expected to go back down below flood stage between six and 12 hours after the crest, Ciliberti said. … “
Continue reading from the Ukiah Daily Journal by clicking here.
Chinook salmon return in record numbers to Eel River
Posted by: Maven on December 29, 2010 at 7:32 amFrom the Santa Rosa Press Democrat:
“Record numbers of chinook salmon have made the fall run to the Van Arsdale dam near Potter Valley, carrying with them guarded optimism about the future of the threatened species.
As of last week, 2,314 chinook had made their way to the dam, the most to make the fall run since at least 1945, when data on Chinook was first collected, said California Fish and Game biologist Scott Harris.
“It was a good run,” he said.
Chinook salmon are on the federal threatened species list. Last year, only about 500 of them reached the dam in the fall. The dam is the farthest point the fish can swim in their trek to the top of the main stem of the Eel River. … “
Continue reading from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat by clicking here.
Marin Municipal Water District releases plan to help troubled species in Mount Tam creeks
Posted by: Maven on December 29, 2010 at 7:30 amFrom the Marin Independent Journal:
“Marin water officials are seeking public comment on a $6.7 million plan to help Lagunitas Creek coho salmon, steelhead trout and California freshwater shrimp over the next 10 years.
Finding ways to improve habitat of the endangered coho is of prime interest as fish numbers have dwindled in recent years. As of Monday, surveys in Lagunitas and San Geronimo creeks and Devil’s Gulch — an important tributary to Lagunitas Creek in Samuel P. Taylor State Park — show 130 coho and 71 redds, which are fish egg nests. The seasonal average observed over the past 15 years is 557 fish and 229 redds. There is about a month left in the season in which the fish return to creeks from the ocean. … “
Continue reading from the Marin Independent Journal by clicking here.
Two more Suisun Bay mothball ship recycling contracts awarded
Posted by: Maven on December 29, 2010 at 7:25 amFrom the Vallejo Times-Herald:
“Ship recycling facilities in Texas and Virginia have been awarded dismantling contracts for three more Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet “mothball” vessels, officials announced Monday.
Esco Marine, of Brownsville, Texas, was given the award to recycle the SS Dawn for about $551,000 and USNS H.H. Hess for about $452,000. … “
Continue reading from the Vallejo Times-Herald by clicking here.
Bay Area: Bill to restore wetlands, clapper rail habitat dies
Posted by: Maven on December 29, 2010 at 7:07 amFrom the San Francisco Chronicle:
“A $1 billion bill to restore San Francisco Bay wetlands died in Congress last week, although a local representative vowed to try again next year. … “
Continue reading from the San Francisco Chronicle by clicking here.
Chinook salmon rebound in Central Valley, but aren’t off the hook yet
Posted by: Maven on December 29, 2010 at 7:00 amFrom the Sacramento Bee:
“The Central Valley’s fall chinook salmon run surged back strongly this year, but probably not enough to bring the prized fish back to menus and markets in big numbers.
Each major hatchery on Sacramento River tributaries roughly doubled its spawning numbers compared to last year. Some did even better.
The state’s Feather River Hatchery, for instance, took in 17,209 salmon, compared with 6,205 last year. The Mokelumne River Hatchery spawned 3,332 – far more than last year’s 690 salmon. … “
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