This just in … Supreme Court rules on CFBF v. SWRCB
Posted by: Maven on January 31, 2011 at 3:15 pmThis just in via email, the State Supreme Court has issued a ruling in the California Farm Bureau Federation vs. State Water Resources Control Board:
“The California Constitution provides that any act to increase taxes must be passed by a two-thirds vote of the Legislature. On the other hand, statutes that create or raise regulatory fees need only the assent of a simple majority. In 2003, the Legislature passed amendments to the Water Code by a 53 percent majority. Current section 1525 was enacted as part of these amendments. The threshold issue here is whether section 1525, subdivision (a) imposes a tax or a fee. We hold that the amendments and section 1525 do not explicitly impose a tax and, therefore, are not facially unconstitutional. However, because the record is unclear as to whether the fees were reasonably apportioned in terms of the regulatory activity’s costs and the fees assessed, we direct the Court of Appeal to remand the matter to the trial court to make these findings.”
“A second issue is whether the Water Code amendments, or their implementing regulations, violate the supremacy clause of the United States Constitution by over-assessing the beneficial interests of those who hold contractual rights to delivery of water from the federally administered Central Valley Project (hereafter, the federal contractors). We conclude that the statutes are not facially unconstitutional. We further determine that the constitutionality of the implementing regulations depends on whether they fairly assess and apportion the federal contractors‟ beneficial interests. However, because of conflicting factual assertions and an unclear record concerning the extent and value of those interests, we also direct remand to the trial court for findings on this issue.”
Read the full ruling here: farm bureau v swrcb
Monday’s top of the scroll: Suit over Pardee Reservoir expansion goes to court
Posted by: Maven on January 31, 2011 at 8:29 am
From the San Francisco Chronicle:
“The fight over an East Bay water utility’s bid to expand a picturesque reservoir and flood up to 1,200 acres in the Sierra Nevada foothills will head into a Sacramento courtroom this week.
While the East Bay Municipal Utility District will argue that a bigger reservoir could be an important source for slaking the thirst of hundreds of thousands of new customers in coming decades, a coalition of conservation and fishing groups says the project is an environmental disaster in the making. … “
Continue reading from the San Francisco Chronicle by clicking here.
Photo of Pardee Dam by flickr photographer Randy Bayne.
Delta’s biggest enemy hard to pinpoint; Report points finger at long list of culprits
Posted by: Maven on January 31, 2011 at 8:19 amFrom the Stockton Record:
“There are more than 40 potential causes for the Delta’s decline, scientists said Friday, but ranking them in order is just too difficult.
“We’re not in a position now – we may be in a position later – to say it’s these three stressors that are causing 90 percent of the problem, or one stressor causing 45 percent of the problem,” said Richard Norgaard, chair of the Delta Independent Science Board, a panel of 10 experts established by California’s sweeping water reform in 2009.
“At the present state of knowledge, we just think there’s a lot of interacting stressors,” Norgaard told the Delta Stewardship Council on Friday. … “
Continue reading from the Stockton Record by clicking here. Note: Rats :(! This article is behind the paywall at the Stockton Record, so login or registration required. However if you register, you can get 10 free article reads per month.
Barry Nelson: Groundwater management – Another elephant in the living room
Posted by: Maven on January 31, 2011 at 8:12 amFrom Barry Nelson at the NRDC Switchboard blog:
“It seems that everywhere you look today, you find another elephant in California’s water policy living room. The impacts of climate change? That’s an elephant. So are the Delta’s collapsing ecosystem and the earthquake faults that run beneath it. Ditto the fact that we have hit “peak water” on all of California’s river systems. But the most overlooked of these aquatic elephants is the state of California’s groundwater.
On Tuesday, Feb. 1, the Assembly Water Parks and Wildlife Committee will hold an oversight hearing on groundwater issues. I thought that, prior to the hearing, I’d suggest three key points to listen for in the discussion.
First, California is in a league by itself – and not a good one – when it comes to groundwater management. Contrary to rumor – not even Texas has such a Wild West approach to groundwater management. … “
Continue reading from Barry Nelson at the NRDC Switchboard blog by clicking here.
Don’t pave California’s pastures, says editorial
Posted by: Maven on January 31, 2011 at 8:06 amFrom the San Francisco Chronicle:
“Gov. Jerry Brown shows no fear in offering a combo-plate solution to fix California’s disastrous finances. He has put billions in cuts and new taxes on the table and even suggested taking away cell phones from thousands of state workers. There’s one proposal he should leave off the list of cuts: a subsidy to conserve farmlands.
For a state with a $25.4 billion hole in its budget, it’s easy to miss this tiny $10 million item. But eliminating it will cause hardship for the state’s rural counties and invite sprawl where suburbia meets California’s farms and cattle ranches. Dumping the program goes against a host of state policies to conserve open areas, encourage agriculture and push smart-growth rules. … “
Continue reading this editorial from the San Francisco Chronicle by clicking here.
Water Wired blog: ‘The Forgotten Cycle’ and opining on groundwater aquifers, political will, underground aquifers, and past history
Posted by: Maven on January 31, 2011 at 8:04 amFrom the Water Wired blog:
“I got this video by Sahana Singh from Peter Gleick’s Facebook page. It’s a cute little clip.
I would argue that we do manage the water cycle – just not very well.
But the video is spot-on about the lack of political will. There is no reason why 1.1B people do not have access to safe drinking water and 2.4B lack access to even basic sanitary facilities. … “
Continue through to Water Wired to watch the video and read the rest of this post.
Lower Colorado River Tour, March 16-18 – Register today!
Posted by: WaterEd on January 31, 2011 at 7:59 am
From Rebecca Scott at the Water Education Foundation:
“The Colorado River is a lifeline to 25 million people in the Southwest, but in the Lower Basin, virtually every drop of the river is allocated and yet demand is growing and the drought is continuing. The Lower Basin states are dealing with many issues to manage competing needs. In October, Lake Mead reached its lowest elevation, and in past months, it has risen several feet but there is still a chance that the first-ever Lower Basin shortage could be declared in the near future if the elevation continues to decline. Last year, a state judge invalidated the 2003 Quantification Settlement Agreement (QSA), a landmark agreement that resolved conflicts over allocation of Colorado River water supplies and reduced California’s reliance on its waters.
Visit Lake Mead, IID and the Salton Sea and learn how the Lower Basin states are dealing with drought, making agreements to augment water supply, how the QSA ruling could affect California and other Western states and much more on the Water Education Foundation’s Lower Colorado River Tour, March 16-18. We will hear from experts on all sides of these issues as you travel along the Lower Colorado River. Stops include the Warren H. Brock Reservoir (formerly called Drop 2), Yuma Desalting Plant, Salton Sea, farms in the Imperial and Coachella valleys, a private tour inside Hoover Dam and a boat ride on Lake Mead.
Registration is $695 per person, single occupancy room; $595 each for two people sharing a room. Register four or more people for a discount – single occupancy rooms $625. Visit the Water Education Foundation’s website at www.watereducation.org/tours for more information or to register securely online.
To get a better idea what sites we might visit and topics that could be covered, click here for Maven’s photo slideshow from the 2010 tour created who attended this tour last year.
Gov. Jerry Brown is facing tricky environmental and energy issues in California; Gov. Jerry Brown’s decisions regarding environmental and energy issues will affect public and private spending and public health for the foreseeable future
Posted by: Maven on January 31, 2011 at 7:57 amFrom the Los Angeles Times:
“As Gov. Jerry Brown lays out his first-term agenda Monday, he confronts a thorny array of environmental and energy issues, many with a potential to drive billions of dollars in state and private spending and have a major effect on public health.
Will Brown push forward with the nation’s toughest curbs on toxic chemicals in consumer products — proposed by the administration of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, then abruptly withdrawn in December?
Will he sign into law a bill vetoed by Schwarzenegger that would require California to draw a third of its electricity from solar and other renewable sources? … “
Continue reading from the Los Angeles Times by clicking here.
Cold winter doesn’t mean global warming isn’t real, scientists say
Posted by: Maven on January 31, 2011 at 7:50 amFrom the Sacramento Bee:
“Tree limbs snap, the power goes out, the car needs digging out again. Along with the grumbling about winter snow, there’s also a common curiosity: So what does all this say about global warming?
How can the average world temperature be inching up and 2010 be tied for the warmest year ever, when places from North Carolina to New England get buried by whopper winter storms?
There are several scientific explanations that help sweep away the snow confusion.
But like everything else related to climate science, they’re all rather muffled these days, at least in the nation’s capital. … “
Continue reading from the Sacramento Bee by clicking here.
Riverwatcher column: Hard water
Posted by: Maven on January 31, 2011 at 7:48 amFrom the Oroville Mercury Register:
“Speaking of the many aspects of water and its physical phenomena of being convertible into a multitude of uses, the “hard” quality is one of the most interesting conditions of all.
That is “hard” as in ice, and not the hard and soft chemical content that dictates its effects on washing clothes or on the taste-buds. To see an expanse of water become rock-hard on the surface by merely a drop in temperature — hard enough to walk on when it gets to zero — is the end result of a mathematical equation that would rival the efficiency of the greatest scientific minds.
“If there is magic on this Planet, it is found in water.” — Loren Eisley … “
Continue reading from the Oroville Mercury-Register by clicking here.
Herring rebounding in San Francisco Bay after lean years
Posted by: Maven on January 31, 2011 at 7:45 amFrom the Silicon Valley Mercury News:
“Before the morning sun peeked over the hills, Ernie Koepf hauled a net out of the San Francisco Bay waters in pursuit of a small silvery fish whose gold-colored eggs are a delicacy in Japan.
A ton of herring spilled into his boat. He rolled out another net. He hauled in another ton.
Koepf soon caught his limit and steered his boat, the Ursula B, back to its berth in San Francisco after finishing what he says was his best season. It came just one year after the commercial herring fishing season in the bay was called off for the first time due to a scarcity of fish. … “
Continue reading from the Silicon Valley Mercury News by clicking here.
Jury still out on La Niña
Posted by: Maven on January 31, 2011 at 7:37 amFrom the Riverside Press-Enterprise:
“The intense December storms, fed by an atmospheric river of moisture streaming across the Pacific Ocean, surprised Inland residents who had been told they could be facing a dry winter.
Instead of the constant sunshine that might have been expected with a La Niña forecast, winter began drizzly and cool. Then, in mid-December, a series of storms began that saturated the ground for about five days. A final punch Dec. 21-22 brought so much rain that hundreds of small landslides occurred across the San Bernardino Mountains and in canyons south of the San Bernardino Valley.
The mudslides caused millions of dollars in damage to homes and shut down streets, highways and bridges. Residents in some Highland neighborhoods still are digging out. … “
Continue reading from the Riverside Press-Enterprise by clicking here.
Marina del Rey makeover decisions loom
Posted by: Maven on January 31, 2011 at 7:36 amFrom the Daily Breeze:
“The view from Marina del Rey’s scenic Burton Chace Park tells two stories of the small craft harbor that was carved out of marshland in the mid-1960s.
At the end of the park overlooking the Marina Main Channel, a new multistory apartment complex with shiny blue-
tinged windows towers over the water – offering a variety of luxury units and brand-new boat slips.
And then there are the dilapidated docks where sea lions have taken up residence just below Burton Chace. Those aging docks in Basin G are not only past their prime, but were blocked off months ago as a safety precaution. … “
Continue read from the Daily Breeze by clicking here.
Lake Hodges nears capacity. Will water spill over dam this week for first time since 2005?
Posted by: Maven on January 31, 2011 at 7:24 am
From Ah-Ha Rancho Santa Fe News:
“Lake Hodges is oh so everfriggin’ close to spilling over its dam. A light, but steady, rain over Del Dios and the Lake Hodges basin that extends through Julian took the lake to the very top of the dam Sunday. Any more rain, and lawdy, miss clawdy, that sucker is going over the top and down into the Santa Fe Valley.
Six years ago when the lake reached similar heights, even before it topped the dam, people were flocking to the nearby bluffs to check out the unusual — once or twice a decade — event. On Sunday, there was me and you and a dog named Blue on them thar bluffs and not much else. … “
Continue reading from Ah-Ha Rancho Santa Fe News by clicking here.
San Diego: Water officials seek savings, delay projects
Posted by: Maven on January 31, 2011 at 7:14 amFrom the San Diego Union-Tribune:
“The San Diego County Water Authority has deferred 11 projects and will assess three more for possible delays in hopes of postponing payments of up to $150 million. Its cost-cutting plan also includes trying to reduce staff by 12 percent compared to 2008, keeping vacant positions unfilled and cutting the two-year operating budget by $6 million.
The moves are part of the agency’s efforts to trim expenses during a period of turmoil for water districts and ratepayers, many of whom complain about using less water but paying more anyway. The less they use, the less income districts have to pay to their fixed costs, creating a vicious cycle. … “
Continue reading from the San Diego Union-Tribune by clicking here.
San Diego U-T editorial: The laws of economics – and water
Posted by: Maven on January 31, 2011 at 7:12 amFrom the San Diego Union-Tribune, this editorial:
“It is good to see the price of water reacting to the laws of supply and demand, at least for now. The San Diego County Water Authority is delaying 11 projects in part to avoid triggering further wholesale price increases that are simply passed along, and in part because regional demand has dropped 20 percent in recent years.
A respite from further price increases would surely be welcome, but most likely would be just a temporary interruption of a long-term trend. … “
Continue reading this editorial from the San Diego Union-Tribune by clicking here.
Sunday’s top of the scroll: Scientists discover invasive mussel killing bacteria; California company preparing commercial product
Posted by: Maven on January 30, 2011 at 9:10 am
From the Tahoe Daily Tribune:
“The recent discovery of a bacteria that can kill zebra and quagga mussels has raised hopes for private and public organizations fighting to control the environmentally hazardous species.
New York State Museum researchers Daniel Molloy and Denise Mayer discovered a bacteria strain — Pseudomonas fluorescens — that can kill zebra and quagga mussels without killing other native species in the ecosystem.
“The eureka moment did not come, interestingly enough, when we discovered the bacteria could kill zebra and quagga mussels, but came when we discovered the lack of sensitivity among non-target species,” Mayer said in a phone interview. … “
Continue reading from the Tahoe Daily Tribune by clicking here.
$100 for Woodland water intake site
Posted by: Maven on January 30, 2011 at 9:07 amI came across this article as I was doing some updating. It was published in the Woodland Daily Democrat on January 19th:
“Sacramento developer Paul Petrovich announced Tuesday that he plans to sell the city of Woodland a 19-acre lot for $100.
The city wants the land, adjacent to the Sacramento River, as an alternate site for a river intake facility — the facility itself being key to a $325 million plan to siphon water from the river and pipe it into city sinks. Officials say the site is needed as a backup location in case something goes wrong with the planned intake site.
“We’d rather play it safe and make sure we have a backup plan,” City Manager Mark Deven said.
The land in question has been the subject of negotiations between the city and the Petrovich-owned Woodland Development Company since at least March. But Petrovich said the negotiations are just a formality. … “
Continue reading from the Woodland Daily Democrat by clicking here.
RELATED STORY: Yolo County Supervisors to hold special meeting regarding Conaway Ranch deal (from Saturday’s scroll)
Mercury News editorial: Brown needs to find a way to fix the Delta
Posted by: Maven on January 30, 2011 at 8:50 amFrom the Silicon Valley Mercury News, this editorial:
“Governors love to think big. For example, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s proposal to solve the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta problem was a pork-laden $11 billion bond measure that, thankfully, was pulled from last November’s ballot.
Now, Gov. Jerry Brown gets to resume the Delta water fight that was raging when he left the governor’s office nearly three decades ago. Brown, like Schwarzenegger, thought big in 1982, endorsing a peripheral canal to help carry water to farmers. That idea did go to the ballot, and voters crushed it.
Now it’s time to think small.
Despite the magnitude of its water challenge, California can’t afford a massive infrastructure project. But it must repair the damaged levees, whose failure would cut off about half of Silicon Valley’s water supply and would be catastrophic for the West Coast’s largest estuary. … “
Continue reading this editorial from the Silicon Valley Mercury News by clicking here.
Odds and ends: My Delta tour pictures, nature’s slurpee machine & iceberg death rattles, Bay Area’s low-rent pirates, a sexy flood film, a dam power point and more!
Posted by: Maven on January 30, 2011 at 8:49 am
Oh yes, it’s the return of Odds and Ends, which longtime Aquafornia readers will remember as the occasional installment that covers all of those little water things you didn’t know you needed to know. Here’s some notable bits and pieces of water-related links from around the internet:
Delta tour pictures finally posted: Back in July, I traveled with the Water Education Foundation on their Delta tour. I’ve finally arranged my photos on my Photoblog. You can check it out here: Photos from the Water Education Foundation’s Delta Tour. (Note: I’ll be spending a day in the Delta in March. If you have any suggestions of great places to photograph the Delta, please let me know!)
Hey! Look to the right over there and check out my updated Web Resources section, now featuring links to check on current snowpack and reservoir conditions as well as your state and federal legislative committees. Coming soon: an updated Research and Publications page!
Nature’s slurpee machine: Check out this YouTube video of the Frazil Ice Flows in Yosemite Park in this post from the Fresno Bee News Blog: Frazil Ice Video Brrrrrr!!!!
If you’re in the mood for more ice, check out the Death Rattle of an Iceberg from KQED’s Climate Watch blog.
Low rent “pirates” in Sausalito? Apparently so! The Bay Citizen reports on the Gates Co-op, a holdover from the beatnik communities of the 50s. Check out the photo gallery – this is definitely not your high-rent living. Find it here: Gates Co-op Houseboats, Sausalito
The Sexiest Flood Film Ever, or so says the Los Angeles Creek Freak blog. Go decide for yourself! Sexiest Flood Film Ever
Dam Powerpoint: Check out this comprehensive power point on California Dams: Dams and Disasters: a brief overview of dam building triumphs and tragedies in California’s past
Brochures to check out: The Delta Stewardship Council’s brochure about the Delta plan and the Union of Concerned Scientists 10 Things You Should Know about the Energy-Water Collision.
Interesting historical notes: There is a wealth of history online now that is available through Google books and others websites that I have found while researching the Salton Sea and the Imperial Valley. Check out this Popular Mechanics article from December 1946 about the machines building the All-American Canal and other canals in the desert; or this Life Magazine article from 1940 on the Pacific Fruit Express and its highly successful Imperial Valley cantaloupe trains; This Popular Mechanics article from 1940 profiles how the reefer cars were iced to keep the produce cool.
Salton Sea – the renovated North Shore Yacht Club: I could fill endless odds and ends posts about Salton Sea blogs, but here’s what’s interesting in the last week. On my recent trip to the sea, I had hoped to visit the renovated North Shore club which has been turned into a museum but I just ran out of time. The Spirit blog made a visit – the place looks amazing now! Check it out here: New playground and patio at the renovated North Shore Beach & Yacht Club at the Salton Sea Also, check out these beautiful pictures of sunsets at the sea by Peter Tellone photography here: The Salton Sea – The Sunsets
Dan Bacher: What we can learn from the MLPA Initiative
Posted by: Maven on January 30, 2011 at 8:48 amFrom Dan Bacher at IndyBay.org, this commentary:
“In 28 years of covering fish, water and environmental politics in the West, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) Initiative is the most corrupt public process I’ve ever reported on.
The Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA), a landmark law signed by Governor Gray Davis in 1999 to create a network of marine protected areas in state waters along the California coast, was designed to provide comprehensive protection to marine ecoystems. However, the law was eviscerated under Schwarzenegger’s privately-funded MLPA Initiative.
The initiative, overseen by oil industry, real estate, marina development and other corporate representatives, took water pollution, oil drilling and spills, wave energy development, corporate aquaculture, military testing, habitat destruction and all other human impacts on the ocean other than fishing and gathering off the table in its perverse concept of marine “protection.” … “
Continue reading from Dan Bacher at IndyBay.org by clicking here.
KlamBlog: Coordination, consultation and co-management: Behind the scenes maneuvering in the Klamath River Basin
Posted by: Maven on January 30, 2011 at 8:45 amFrom the KlamBlog:
“While the public government processes which will lead to the removal of four of PacifiCorp’s five Klamath River dams grind on, public and closed door preparations to derail dam removal are also progressing. A glimpse into behind the scenes efforts in Siskiyou County to defeat the Dam Deal surfaced last week.
At the January 18th Siskiyou County Board of Supervisors meeting, former school superintendent Frank Tallerico told the supervisors that his group – the Siskiyou County Water Users Association (SCWUA) – wants the county to contribute $40,000 toward its lawsuit challenging the proposed Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement – the KBRA or Klamath Water Deal.
the KHSA or Klamath Dam Deal is not functionally related to the costly and controversial Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement – the Water Deal. Nevertheless, the KBRA has been politically joined to the KHSA in an attempt by federal agencies and other interests to tie their agendas to the dam removal train. … “
Continue reading from the KlamBlog by clicking here.
Lake Tahoe weather: From December to remember to January to forget
Posted by: Maven on January 30, 2011 at 8:41 amFrom Sierra Sun:
“One of the snowiest Decembers in Sierra Nevada history has been followed by one of the driest Januarys, leading ski patrollers to urge caution to skiers and snowboarders as they head out on the hill.
“We want to let people know to be careful,” said Hugh Ham, assistant patrol director at Sierra-at-Tahoe. “Conditions are hard and firm and fast because we’re in a melt-freeze.”
Ham recommended having sharp edges and staying on groomed runs to avoid firm snow. Off-piste runs are available, but skiers and riders may want to wait for it to soften up a bit before heading off groomed runs, Ham said. … “
Continue reading from Sierra Sun by clicking here.
New Melones fish plan discussed
Posted by: Maven on January 30, 2011 at 8:32 amFrom the Union Democrat:
“Will a federal judge who came down on the side of farmers in a recent fish-protection case do the same when he issues a ruling on a similar case involving New Melones Reservoir?
That was a big question at last week’s Tuolumne County Board of Supervisors meeting.
Supervisors are hoping the answer is “yes.”
Citing claims by the Oakdale Irrigation District, some, like Supervisor Dick Pland, fear New Melones could go nearly dry in some years if the judge leaves the plan untouched. … “
Continue reading from the Union Democrat by clicking here.
Santa Cruz: Desal opponents misstate the facts, says commentary
Posted by: Maven on January 30, 2011 at 8:29 amFrom the Santa Cruz Sentinel, this commentary by Mike Rotkin, former city councilman & mayor of Santa Cruz:
“I was frankly shocked at the willingness of the authors of a recent op-ed in the Sentinel Jan. 23 opposing desalination in Santa Cruz to mislead readers with fear-based misinformation that they know all too well is inaccurate or distorted at best.
When I first got involved in city water planning over 30 years ago, I was also an opponent of desalination, and I raised virtually every argument that the op-ed cites: intensive energy needs, high cost, concerns for heavy brine concentration as a byproduct, risks to the marine environment from trapping marine life in the intake, lack of sufficient investigation of conservation alternatives and/or alternative water supply sources. However, over the past 30 years, the city has been actively addressing each of these concerns and it is disingenuous for the desal opponents to now raise them as if no progress had been made on any of them. They have all been at meetings where this information was presented. … “
Continue reading from the Santa Cruz Sentinel by clicking here.
San Luis Obispo getting water from Nacimiento; North County lake will provide 1.1 billion gallons of water per year to the city, which is the first to take delivery from the project
Posted by: Maven on January 30, 2011 at 8:28 amFrom the San Luis Obispo Tribune:
“After decades of planning, the Nacimiento Water Project is finally flowing: Water from the lake is now coming out of faucets in San Luis Obispo. The lake northwest of Paso Robles will now serve as San Luis Obispo’s main water source — the equivalent of 1.1 billion gallons of water annually. The city also gets additional water from Santa Margarita Lake and Whale Rock Reservoir through separate projects.
The city is the first to treat and use water from Nacimiento Lake after the completion of the 45-mile, $176 million pipeline — the county’s largest public works project. The pipeline will carry millions of gallons of water from the lake to Paso Robles, Atascadero, Templeton, San Luis Obispo and part of Cayucos. … “
Continue reading from the San Luis Obispo Tribune by clicking here.
Vandenburg Village water future tied to land swap; District seeks alternatives to aging wells
Posted by: Maven on January 30, 2011 at 8:27 amFrom the Santa Maria Times:
“Between Vandenberg Village and Lompoc, right where Highway 1 dips down to cross Davis Creek, a nondescript green water tower can be seen just off the north side of the road.
While Vandenberg Village residents commute past it daily, few probably realize that it marks the site where all their tap water comes from.
The land is part of the Burton Mesa Ecological Preserve, and owned by the State Lands Commission, which leases it to the California Department of Fish and Game, but old easements have allowed the Vandenberg Village Community Services District (VVCSD) to operate three water wells and a treatment facility there. … “
Continue reading from the Santa Maria Times by clicking here.
Redondo Beach park project will catch rainwater
Posted by: Maven on January 30, 2011 at 8:24 amFrom the Daily Breeze:
“A new drainage system at Redondo Beach’s Alta Vista Park will divert and reuse about 1 million gallons of rain annually that would otherwise be released as stormwater into Santa Monica Bay.
The $2.2 million project, funded through the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, reduces urban stormwater runoff that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has marked as the chief cause of coastal water pollution in Southern California.
The problem begins with bacteria, petroleum products and copper from car brake pads that accumulate on streets and sidewalks, said John Kemmerer, associate water division director for the EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region. … “
Continue reading from the Daily Breeze by clicking here.
Making it rain: Three contractors in drought-stricken California share how they’ve successfully marketed their irrigation services
Posted by: Maven on January 30, 2011 at 8:22 amFrom Lawn & Landscape:
“Though California has been plagued by drought, some forward-thinking contractors have found that the key to successfully selling irrigation services is to emphasize water conservation. Marketing water management has helped these businesses thrive, even during the economic collapse, and it’s a lesson anyone selling irrigation services can learn from.
“In this economy contractors are crying there’s no work, but I’m keeping as busy now as I did five years ago,” says Mike Garcia, owner, Enviroscape in Redondo Beach, Calif. What’s Garcia’s trick? He says he’s learned that clients will spend money if it means saving money in the long run.
“I’m looking at the trends and have found that wherever people are hurting, if you’re able to offer a solution, that’s where you can make a business.” … “
Continue reading from Lawn & Landscape by clicking here.
Saturday’s top of the scroll: Sierra snowpack good, but dry spell still a threat
Posted by: Maven on January 29, 2011 at 8:13 amFrom the San Francisco Chronicle:
“There’s still water in the California hills even after a month of mostly lawn chair and margarita weather.
The overall water content of the Sierra snowpack is 108 percent of normal for this time of year, according to measurements taken of the state’s frozen water supply Friday.
That may sound pretty good, until it is compared to the measurements taken a month ago by the California Department of Water Resources. The water content in the Sierra snow had almost double the norm in December after relentless storms pounded the state. … “
Continue reading from the San Francisco Chronicle by clicking here.
The Tahoe Daily Tribune adds this perspective:
” …However, with January having 13 percent of its normal precipitation, it’s still possible for this year to be below-average for the California watershed, Gehrke said.
“January was effectively a non-event. That is unfortunately the pattern of La Nina,” Gehrke said. “The real issue is whether or not we’ll lose February.”
Though the snow is not melting rapidly, he said, melting will increase as the sun reaches a more vertical angle in the sky. Runoff has already put many of the major reservoirs into flood control release mode, Gehrke said.
“Snow melting right now could mean we’re not going to have water come spring and summer when it’s most needed,” he said. … “
Read more from the Tahoe Daily Tribune by clicking here.
MORE INFORMATION:
- Water supply still good despite dry January, from the San Diego Union Tribune
- DWR’s press release of the snow survey results
USGS reports to Delta Stewardship Council on seismic risk and Delta levees, says risk like greater than previously estimated
Posted by: Maven on January 29, 2011 at 8:04 am
From the Sacramento Bee:
“The potential for earthquakes to cause massive levee failures in the Delta is probably greater than previously estimated, seismic experts reported Friday.
In a presentation to the Delta Stewardship Council, scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey said prior studies made “very, very unrealistic” assumptions about ground motion in the Delta.
Those studies assumed soils are relatively uniform across the region, said David Schwartz, USGS earthquake geologist. As a result, the ground shaking assumed in those studies was likely low.
Yet those earlier surveys still predicted dire effects: Dozens of levee breaks could occur simultaneously, flooding numerous islands. … “
Continue reading from the Sacramento Bee by clicking here.
Alex Breitler’s blog dives into more details of the USGS presentation:
” … the Bay Area faults most likely to give the fragile estuary a good jolt are about due to rock and roll, USGS experts told the Delta Stewardship Council today.
The Great Quake of 1906 released so much tectonic pressure that things have been pretty quiet for a century or so. But now that pressure is building once again.
Sure, the Delta survived the Great Quake, but it was a different place back then. Reclamation of Delta islands was still underway; not all of the levees had been built. If the ’06 temblor happened today, USGS says, things might turn out differently. … “
Continue reading from Alex Breitler’s blog by clicking here.
Yolo County Supervisors to hold special meeting regarding Conaway Ranch deal
Posted by: Maven on January 29, 2011 at 7:55 amFrom the Woodland Daily Democrat:
“Board’s agenda more clear than Dec. meeting
The Yolo County Board of Supervisors will hold a special meeting Feb. 8 addressing the public’s concern about the Conaway Ranch agreement, including a potential Brown Act violation.
It will be at 9 a.m. in the county administration building, 625 Court Street.
The board agenda released Friday — 10 days before the meeting — states a public hearing will be held “to consider approval of an agreement that concerns the agricultural, habitat and water resources of Conaway Ranch and that, in particular, exempts certain proposed conservation easements from a county moratorium.” It also recommended that the board rescind all actions concerning the Dec. 17 agreement. … “
Continue reading from the Daily Democrat by clicking here.
Twain’s whiskey/water quote appears greatly exaggerated
Posted by: Maven on January 29, 2011 at 7:53 amFrom McClatchy News:
“California politicians invariably invoke Mark Twain when debating Western water controversies. They shouldn’t. Rhetoric, too often, runs ahead of historical fact.
The specific quote in question rolls right off the tongue. Sing along, now:
“Mark Twain once said that whiskey is for drinking but water is worth fighting over,” then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger recited, illustratively, in 2009 at a Fresno event.
Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein, a serious player in setting California water policy, has likewise long favored the Twain quote. So did Schwarzenegger’s gubernatorial predecessor, Gray Davis. So have many others; ad, to be perfectly honest, nauseum. … “
Continue reading from McClatchy News by clicking here.
Harboring the good life: New Year’s ‘water’ resolutions
Posted by: Maven on January 29, 2011 at 7:50 amFrom the Dana Point Times:
“At the start of each year, many of us make New Year’s Resolutions. Here are a few “Water” Resolutions for your consideration that are relatively easy to do or continue doing, if you’ve already started.
1. Take time to smell the roses: Set aside time to enjoy your natural surroundings. Go to a local nursery and explore California-friendly plants. Visit water conservation gardens and arboretums for ideas, too. There are hundreds of drought-tolerant, plants that are sustainable alternatives to the traditional thirsty patch of lawn. Start a new adventure in plant selection and landscape design that is authentic to our land’s heritage. A variety of websites provide related photos and information, such as “The Garden Spot” at www. bewaterwise.com.
2. Lose weight: Shed some of the “water” weight you may have gained over the years. Set your automatic sprinkler system for 10 minutes or less per valve per cycle, depending on your plants’ water needs, so your soil has a chance to absorb the water and not get water-logged, with water running off onto the pavement. Too much water will actually harm all plants, and California-friendly plants require up to two-thirds less water to thrive. … “
Continue reading from the Dana Point Times by clicking here.
On the Public Record blog returns with news commentary
Posted by: Maven on January 29, 2011 at 7:48 amThe On the Public Record blog returns with this commentary on several news items:
“Glad to be back; I’ve missed you guys. I’ll ease my way back into this with the easiest of posts: news commentary.
* First, I want to say how much I appreciate straightforward meeting summaries like [ACWA's Summary of DSC Meeting]. I appreciate Mr. Breitler’s post of crowd commentary even more. I often regret that I can’t go to important public meetings, and posts like these help fill me in. Thanks for those.
* I see a couple rate-increase stories a day. The standard story involves angry citizens vowing to fight the increase and saying that the district should find other sources, like the piles of money that the directors sleep on at night. … “
Continue reading from the On the Public Record blog by clicking here.
Dan Bacher: Starting the New Year the right way at Quarry Lakes
Posted by: Maven on January 29, 2011 at 7:42 am
From Dan Bacher at AlterNet:
“On January 8, the fish and anglers at Quarry Lakes Regional Recreation Area, located on the border of Fremont and Union City, received a late Christmas present.
As a couple dozen anglers tried their luck for rainbow trout on Horseshoe Lake, over 60 people converged on Rainbow Lake to install 900 Christmas trees as fish habitat in the adjacent Rainbow Lake. The group included volunteers from the Black Bass Action Committee (BBAC) and local Boy Scout and Girl Scout Troops, along with staff from the East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD).
The group finished tying the trees to chains before 11:00 am and then went to a barbecue lunch organized by Carter Fickes of BBAC.
“When you talk about a habitat project, most people assume that you’re building bass hotels, habitats for predators to hide,” said Jon Walton of Walton’s Pond, who came up with the idea for the project 21 years ago. “However it’s more complicated and more interesting than that.”
Walton said the intent of the project is to build the “food chain from the bottom up.” … “
Continue reading from AlterNet by clicking here.
Weather Undergound: The ARkStorm – California’s coming great deluge
Posted by: Maven on January 29, 2011 at 7:41 amFrom the Weather Underground:
“For thirty days and thirty nights the rain fell in unending torrents. By the end of the biblical deluge, rivers of water ten feet deep flowed through the streets of Sacramento, and an astounding 29.28 inches of rain had fallen on San Francisco. According to wunderground’s weather historian, Christopher C. Burt, in the Sierras, the moist flow of air from Hawaii–often called an “atmospheric river” or the “Pineapple Express”–hit the steeply sloping mountainsides, rose upwards, expanding and cooling. Truly prodigious rains resulted, with the mining town of Sonora receiving 8.5 feet of rain over a 2-month period. The resulting floods inundated California’s Central Valley with a lake 300 miles long and 20 miles wide.
The above event occurred in January 1862, and similar extreme rain events have deluged in California seven times in the past 2,000 years–about once every 300 years. Great storms like the flood of 1862 will happen again. If the planet continues to warm, as expected, the odds of such an event will at least double by 2100, due to the extra moisture increased evaporation from the oceans will add to the air. … “
New report links water, electrical generation in Western states
Posted by: Maven on January 29, 2011 at 7:35 amFrom The Energy Collective:
“The most important natural resource for generating electricity in the United States isn’t coal, natural gas, or uranium.
It’s water.
All of these fuels (and solar power, too) rely on water as a coolant, consuming massive quantities of a precious resource that is dwindling in many parts of the Southwest. Climate change means even less water in the future for the arid lands of the West — while energy consumption continues to grow.
[Water is also used in other parts of the energy cycle. For example, an average of 3 million gallons of water are used per natural gas well in the controversial "fracking" process -- the subject of the Oscar-nominated documentary, Gasland.] … “
Continue reading from The Energy Collective by clicking here.
St. Helena: Utility rate increases stun public
Posted by: Maven on January 29, 2011 at 7:33 amFrom the St. Helena Star (hat tip to the OTPR blog!):
“A public information campaign has convinced some St. Helena residents that drastic water and sewer rate increases are needed, but stunned residents are still puzzling over why they didn’t start sooner.
“It sounds like you need them, but what were you thinking for the last 10 years?” Silvyne Henderson said during an informational session at Tuesday’s city council meeting.
The city recently mailed out a four-page brochure explaining that St. Helena needs to raise its water and sewer rates by 55 percent and 30 percent, respectively. … “
Continue reading from the St. Helena Star by clicking here.
Studies judge dredge: USGS finds suction dredge mining increases mercury contamination
Posted by: Maven on January 29, 2011 at 7:29 amFrom the Union:
“Fans — and foes — of suction dredge mining will have to wait a little bit longer to find out whether a ban instituted in 2009 will remain in effect.
But the findings in two studies the U.S. Geological Survey recently released provide a hint of the possible contents of a draft Environmental Impact Report being prepared by the state Department of Fish and Game.
That’s the report mandated by the state when then-Gov. Schwarzenegger signed a bill in August 2009 temporarily banning miners from using gasoline-powered dredges to glean flecks of gold from river bottoms. The environmental review was requested to determine how much the popular form of small-scale mining harms salmon. … “
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