Thursday’s top of the scroll: Water to flow for salmon run; Attempt to block federal plan is dropped for now
Posted by: Maven on March 31, 2011 at 9:32 amFrom the Fresno Bee:
“The Westlands Water District and its urban and agricultural water allies have — at least for the moment — backed off a request to block a federal plan to help endangered salmon that will kick in Friday.
U.S. District Judge Oliver W. Wanger was scheduled to rule Wednesday on an injunction sought by Westlands, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, and others.
Those agencies put the request on hold after the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation indicated it would enact the plan, but not its most controversial part — pumping cutbacks from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. … “
Continue reading from the Fresno Bee by clicking here.
RELATED: The Pacific Legal Foundation’s Liberty Blog has Judge Wanger’s order here.
Wet winter can’t slake West’s thirst; Water shortage still looms in the Southwest
Posted by: Maven on March 31, 2011 at 9:30 amFrom the Wall Street Journal:
“For the 30 million Americans who depend on the Colorado River for their water, this past winter’s soaking rains and snows will only leave them thirsting for more.
Water managers warn that Lake Mead, the West’s largest and most important reservoir, remains perilously near the level of 1,075 feet at which the U.S. Secretary of the Interior would likely declare a water shortage, for the first time in the nearly century-old history of the Colorado River system. Such a shortage would parch Nevada, Arizona and California with severe water-use restrictions. There alone, some 20 million people depend on Lake Mead’s supplies. … “
Continue reading from the Wall Street Journal by clicking here.
Delta’s survival more important than fish says PPIC report
Posted by: Maven on March 31, 2011 at 9:26 amI’m not sure why Mike Taugher is so late in game on this one (perhaps he was actually reading the book … ), but here’s his report on the PPIC Report, published in the Contra Costa Times:
“Letting some fish species die off as part of a larger environmental restoration may be the best way to protect the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, a leading California think tank says.
The recommendation in a 500-page report by experts working with the Public Policy Institute of California, is the second time recently that an influential report has suggested some fish, particularly Delta smelt, may become too far gone to save. The other was an early draft from a new state agency charged with crafting a plan for the Delta.
In short, experts assembled by the Public Policy Institute of California say it is time for a number of sweeping changes. Among them … “
Continue reading from the Contra Costa Times by clicking here.
Congressman Costa: Costa’s proposed law would bring more water
Posted by: Maven on March 31, 2011 at 9:23 amFrom the Hanford Sentinel:
“Rep. Jim Costa unveiled a bill Monday aimed at bringing more water and jobs to the San Joaquin Valley and to his congressional district, which includes Kings County.
The Fresno Democrat’s legislation would ease pumping restrictions on the Central Valley Project, which sucks water out of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta and sends it to Westside farms, The project has been plagued by environmental problems that have threatened endangered fish species and led to strict limits on delta water made available to agriculture and cities.
The changes Costa is proposing would sunset in 2015. … “
Continue reading from the Hanford Sentinel by clicking here.
MORE: Here’s the statement from Congressman Costa’s office.
Governor Brown declares an end to the drought
Posted by: Maven on March 31, 2011 at 9:20 amGovernor Brown finally has declared the drought over – I say ‘finally’ because we’re on the third day of coverage on this story and I’ve got more articles here than the two previous days combined. So I’ll give it to you in short form today:
“California’s drought is over. But don’t get carried away. That was the basic message in a proclamation issued Wednesday by Gov. Jerry Brown, which rescinds a statewide drought declaration adopted in February 2009 by his predecessor. … “, from the Sacramento Bee
” … Indeed, Bob Giragosian, managing partner of Lamont carrot producer Kern Ridge Growers, laughed out loud when he heard about the governor’s announcement. “It’s nice of the governor to tell us that. I feel a lot better now,” he said, giggling. Giragosian said he still has at least 1,000 acres around the state that remain fallow due to lack of water. “When we get all that farmland back into production, that’s when I’ll feel the drought is over,” he said. … “, from the Bakersfield Californian
” … The abundance of snowpack water means the state estimates it will be able to supply two-thirds of the water requested, compared to half last year and even less in 2009 and 2008. It retains some water to protect threatened and endangered fish. And with all the snow, it’s a great time to go skiing. “We’ve had incredible March snows, and the spring skiing is phenomenal,” said Michael Dalzell from Kirkwood Mountain Resort near South Lake Tahoe. The resort needs 50 more inches to break a 19-year snowfall record. … “, from the Silicon Valley Mercury News
“Sierra Nevada snowpack – a key factor in determining the state’s water supply each year – stands at 165 percent of average, a level not seen since 1995 and one that puts the 2010-2011 winter near the top of the record lists. “This year’s snowpack counts as one of the big ones – there aren’t many of them,” said Maury Roos, veteran meteorologist with the California Department of Water Resources. … “, from the San Francisco Chronicle
” … However, easing out of drought conditions does not mean people can run out and flood their gutters. Local water companies are still working toward the goal of a 20 percent reduction in per capita water use by 2020, and a 10 percent decrease by 2015, explained Mike Pembroke, manager of California Water Service in Chico. “Our demand trend and water use trends are going down,” he said. … “, from the Chico Enterprise-Record
There are more stories, but frankly I think that’s enough already….
Uh-oh, Now that the drought is officially over, sadly, the state will go back to ignoring its pressing water needs, says the Chico Enterprise-Record
Posted by: Maven on March 31, 2011 at 8:57 amFrom the Chico Enterprise-Record, this editorial:
“After one last snow survey Wednesday, the state government finally did the obvious and declared the drought officially over. Now we’re really in trouble.
Being in a drought was bad enough. Living in the north state after a drought is an even more frightening prospect. The declaration that the drought is over gives urban dwellers south of here the excuse to waste water with abandon. It also delays needed action on the state’s very real problem with its water storage and delivery system.
A state proposition lawmakers decided to put before voters was supposed to solve the state’s problems — at a cost of $11 billion (double that when you add interest). It was supposed to be on the 2010 ballot, but former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger talked legislators into delaying the water bond vote after polls showed it wasn’t likely to pass. Now it’s supposed to be on the 2012 ballot.
It’s even less likely to pass now because, first, the state’s debt is even worse and, second, the drought is over. There’s nothing to worry about, right? … “
Continue reading this editorial from the Chico Enterprise-Record by clicking here.
Save water, drought or no drought, says Visalia Times-Delta editorial
Posted by: Maven on March 31, 2011 at 8:50 amFrom the Visalia Times-Delta, this editorial:
“Gov. Jerry Brown on Wednesday proclaimed an end to California’s drought.
We weren’t aware that the governor had that kind of power.
Brown immediately urged Californians to continue to conserve water through this year and, we expect, beyond. At least the governor presented a balanced perspective so that Californians won’t rush out and turn on their spigots.
Proclamations aside, California continues to need all the water it can muster, and this is not the time to set aside practices and policies that pursue that goal. … “
Continue reading from the Visalia Times-Delta by clicking here.
Inkstain blog: Drought’s over, but what does that really mean?
Posted by: Maven on March 31, 2011 at 8:37 amFrom the Inkstain Blog:
“When the science team working on the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) invited me to give a media-communication perspective at a meeting back in the summer of 2006, I title my talk “Maybe We Shouldn’t Call It `Drought’”.
The problem is that the word is used in so many different ways, meaning so many different things, that if not approached with care it can cause all kinds of trouble. … “
Continue reading from the Inkstain Blog by clicking here.
Dan Bacher: Governor Brown declares end to California drought
Posted by: Maven on March 31, 2011 at 8:32 amFrom Dan Bacher at IndyBay.org:
“Since 2008, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger repeatedly used wildly inflated claims of a “drought” to campaign for the peripheral canal and new dams to facilitate the export of California Delta water to corporate agribusiness and southern California water agencies.
Schwarzenegger and the agribusiness lobby also used the “drought” and the alleged creation of a “New Dust Bowl” on the west side of the San Joaquin Valley as a major talking point in attacking the federal government plans (biological opinions) to protect Central Valley steelhead, Sacramento River winter and spring-run chinook salmon, green sturgeon, Delta smelt and the southern resident population of killer whales from extinction.
Now Schwarzenegger’s successor, Jerry Brown, today finally proclaimed the official end of the drought. … “
Continue reading from IndyBay.org by clicking here.
UC Green Blog: Agricultural water conservation — a serious look
Posted by: Maven on March 31, 2011 at 8:29 am
From Trina Wood at the University of California Green Blog:
“With this latest set of storms replenishing California’s snowpack and water levels in reservoirs, rivers and streams, it may be hard to think about water conservation issues. But this is a still a semi-arid state, so it is always prudent to prepare for droughts.
So where can we save the most water? Farming in California depends on irrigation, so agriculture seems the largest potential source for cost-effective water savings in the state. Although agriculture’s share has been declining, it still accounts for roughly 75 percent of all human water use, compared to 25 percent for urban uses.
The recent book, Managing California’s Water: From Conflict to Reconciliation, examines agricultural water conservation extensively and points out the complexity of this issue. The book’s findings are based on scientific and economic research and field experience in California and worldwide. … “
Continue reading from the Green Blog by clicking here.
Barry Nelson: CVP-wide water allocation at 91 percent
Posted by: Maven on March 31, 2011 at 8:25 amFrom Barry Nelson at the NRDC Switchboard blog:
“On Monday, the Bureau of Reclamation announced its revised water allocation numbers for the year. If you listen to certain water users and members of Congress, you’d think that the recent rains have allowed the CVP to increase its water allocations to 65 percent. But actually, system-wide, the Bureau of Reclamation projects that it will deliver over 91 percent of its generous CVP water contracts.
Stories about the CVP tend to overlook the vast majority of the project’s deliveries. For example, the Bureau has projected that the following categories of contractors will receive 100 percent of their contract amounts. (The contract amount for each is included in parentheses). … “
Continue reading from the NRDC Switchboard blog by clicking here.
Legal Planet blog: Right on the Commerce Clause, wrong on the ESA
Posted by: Maven on March 31, 2011 at 8:22 amFrom Holly Doremus at the Legal Planet blog:
“As Rick noted earlier, the Ninth Circuit is now the fifth federal circuit court of appeals to reject a Commerce Clause challenge to the ESA. In San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority v. Salazar, a Ninth Circuit panel upheld protection of the Delta smelt. I agree with Rick’s analysis of the Commerce Clause holding, but wanted to make two additional points. First, while a petition for certiorari is almost inevitable, it’s unlikely to be granted. But second, the portion of the opinion dealing with standing and ripeness misinterprets the ESA in a way that may cause headaches for environmental interests in the future.
First, I’m more confident than Rick seems to be that the Supreme Court will leave this case alone. … “
Continue reading from the Legal Planet blog by clicking here.
Alex Breitler’s blog: So this is what a wet year looks like?
Posted by: Maven on March 31, 2011 at 8:20 am
From Alex Breitler’s blog:
“Check out this graph showing New Melones Lake storage levels over the past 10 years.
Weirdly symmetrical, isn’t it? While the lake level rocketed up this winter – last week New Melones gained enough water in one day to supply all of Lodi for a year – it’s still lower than 2006, when the reservoir just about topped out.
And unlike most other reservoirs feeding the San Joaquin River system, New Melones has not passed the threshold known as ”top of conservation storage,” or TOC. In short,while other reservoirs are dumping water New Melones is still collecting. … “
Continue reading from Alex Breitler’s blog by clicking here.
Looking for water-themed April Fool’s gags? Thirsty in Suburbia has you covered!
Posted by: Maven on March 31, 2011 at 8:18 amThirsty in Suburbia heads north for this year’s round of April Fools’ gags:
“Surely these goofball clips will give you an idea or two on ways to celebrate both water and our favorite special day! Canadian JustForLaughsTV uses the good old hidden camera schtick to pull off a variety of funny water-themed gags. And I literally mean gags. … “
Check ‘em all out here, courtesy of Thirsty in Suburbia. Of course, if you want some good old-fashioned American pranks, like the ice-laden cereal bowl, the sink-sprayer trick, or the ever-popular toilet prank, click here for Thirsty in Suburbia’s classic Americana pranks.
ACWA set to release policy framework on groundwater on Monday
Posted by: Maven on March 31, 2011 at 7:56 amFrom ACWA’s Water News:
“ACWA is set to release a major policy document on groundwater management Monday, April 4. The document, “Sustainability from the Ground Up: A Framework for Groundwater Management in California,” provides an in-depth look at current efforts to manage groundwater basins in California and recommends proactive steps to advance sustainable management. … “
Continue reading from ACWA’s Water News by clicking here.
Water conservation: The best answer to our water problems?
Posted by: Maven on March 31, 2011 at 7:53 amFrom Mother Nature Network:
“Three-quarters of the Earth’s surface is covered in water, yet the global supply of clean, fresh water is steadily decreasing due to growing demand, pollution and sanitation issues as well as climate change. In America, as many regions face dire water shortages, the challenge is to ensure that all citizens have equal access to safe water, now and into the future.
As recently as the turn of the 20th century, water conservation in the U.S. was focused mostly on re-allocation of this precious resource. With the Reclamation Act of 1902, the U.S. government developed resources that would turn the arid Western regions of the country into some of the world’s most productive agricultural areas, mostly by means of irrigation. This led to a number of productive water projects like the Hoover Dam. At the time, with small rural populations, there seemed to be plenty of water to go around. But as millions of people continued to settle in the West, demand once again began to outstrip supply. … “
Continue reading from Mother Nature Network by clicking here.
New lawsuit targets water diversion policies in the Scott and Shasta Valleys
Posted by: Maven on March 31, 2011 at 7:35 amFrom the Capital Press:
“A new lawsuit has been filed against the California Department of Fish and Game over its controversial water diversion policies in two rural valleys near the Oregon state line.
In its complaint filed March 25 in Siskiyou County Superior Court, the county’s Farm Bureau asserts that DFG is violating Scott and Shasta valley landowners’ water and property rights by requiring permits for diversions.
The suit asks the court to prevent the state agency from enforcing its “new” interpretation of Fish and Game Code Section 1602, which the agency has argued requires landowners to obtain expensive permits for simple diversions. … “
Continue reading from the Capital Press by clicking here.
Report: St. Helena water use exceeds safe yield
Posted by: Maven on March 31, 2011 at 7:29 amFrom the Napa Valley Register/St, Helena Star:
“St. Helena is using more water than it can reliably produce without imposing severe water restrictions, according to a new report.
The city’s average water use of 2,156 acre-feet far exceeds the water system’s “safe yield” of 1,950 acre-feet, former members of the Infrastructure Subcommittee told the City Council March 22.
Alan Galbraith, Tim Nieman and John Sales spent three months calculating the city’s water supply and demand. Last year they served on a subcommittee that released a lengthy report on the state of the city’s water system. … “
Continue reading from the St. Helena Star by clicking here.
Local fishermen support earlier fishing season; recreational fishermen angling for May 7 start
Posted by: Maven on March 31, 2011 at 7:25 amFrom the Contra Costa Times:
“Local commercial and sport fishermen voiced their hope Tuesday night for the earliest possible start of this salmon season.
At a meeting held by the Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC), several dozen fisherman spoke about a need for an earlier season and the economic boost that comes with it. A few highlighted an urgent need to assist the fishermen in Crescent City. The city’s harbor was destroyed by a tsunami earlier this month.
Council representatives took record of the comments, which will be given to councilmembers for review before they meet to finalize guidelines for this year’s commercial and sport salmon fishing season. Comments made by April 3 will meet the deadline for the San Mateo meeting to be held April 7 – 13. … “
Continue reading from the Contra Costa Times by clicking here.
SEE ALSO: Great anticipation for best salmon season in years, from the San Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco: Residents turn up noses at sewer stink cure
Posted by: Maven on March 31, 2011 at 7:15 amFrom the Wall Street Journal:
“Most San Franciscans have learned to live with foul sewer smells that come and go along the city’s waterfront, Mission Bay and some other neighborhoods. But some residents are finding a growing effort by the city to combat the odors too objectionable to ignore.
The controversy started at a routine meeting in mid-February of a committee of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, where a city sewer manager blamed the smell in part on low-water-use toilets that deprive the sewage system of the flow needed to whisk away waste matter. Other conservation efforts, a slower economy and changes to weather patterns also have reduced water flow into city sewers, city officials say. … “
Continue reading from the Wall Street Journal by clicking here.
Hetch Hetchy water supply fix under way
Posted by: Maven on March 31, 2011 at 7:09 amFrom the San Mateo Daily Journal:
“A massive $320 million public works project is launching in San Mateo County to improve the Hetch Hetchy Regional Water System and water deliveries for more than 2.4 million people living in the Bay Area.
The four projects beginning construction on the Peninsula are part of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission’s $4.6 billion Water System Improvement Program and include upgrades to the Crystal Springs reservoir system, water treatment plant and regional pipelines. … “
Continue reading from the San Mateo Daily Journal by clicking here.
Ag regulation must cover toxic water, says commentary
Posted by: Maven on March 31, 2011 at 7:06 amFrom the Monterey County Herald, this commentary by Dipti Bhatnagar, the Northern California program director of the Environmental Justice Coalition for Water:
“As an obesity crisis grips the United States, everyone from Michelle Obama to actor Christian Slater preaches that unprocessed foods that come from farms, not factories, are the answer to our nation’s health ills. So it’s ironic that some farmers on California’s Central Coast threaten some of the state’s poorest, most vulnerable communities with their farming practices.
Horacio Amezquita lives at San Jerardo, a housing co-operative for 250 low-income Latino farmworkers in the Salinas Valley. Almost 10 years ago, San Jerardo abandoned the last of its three wells. Contamination like that in San Jerardo’s wells is pervasive in the Salinas Valley and elsewhere in California and the United States.
The contamination arises largely from pesticides and fertilizers liberally used in conventional agricultural fields. … “
Continue reading this commentary at the Monterey County Herald by clicking here.
San Joaquin river expected to stay high for several weeks
Posted by: Maven on March 31, 2011 at 7:05 amFrom the Modesto Bee:
“Residents and sheriff’s deputies Wednesday kept a wary eye on the rising San Joaquin River and the cloudless — for now — sky.
As of Wednesday afternoon, the river had reached 65.48 feet. That’s about 4 inches higher than Tuesday, when a voluntary evacuation order was issued.
That order stayed in place Wednesday, and residents of trailer parks along the river who stuck it out hope it doesn’t become mandatory. … “
Continue reading from the Modesto Bee by clicking here.
Nacimiento Lake water might be contaminated by sewage, health officials say
Posted by: Maven on March 31, 2011 at 7:00 amFrom the San Luis Obispo Tribune:
“San Luis Obispo County public health officials have warned residents at Nacimiento Lake not to drink water from the reservoir without purifying it because of a break in a sewer line that is submerged in the lake.
Penny Borenstein, county public health officer, said in a news release late this afternoon that the Oak Shores Wastewater Treatment Plant’s collection system developed a break in a sewer line that is submerged in a portion of the lake. … “
Continue reading from the San Luis Obispo Tribune by clicking here.
Low levels of perchlorate won’t harm, says study
Posted by: Maven on March 31, 2011 at 6:58 amFrom the Santa Clarita Signal:
“Pregnant women in the Santa Clarita Valley need not worry about extremely low levels of perchlorate adversely affecting them or their unborn children, a Boston study examining four world cities concludes.
Perchlorate, a toxic salt, has been known to disrupt the functioning of the thyroid gland.
Despite the recent study, local officials who have been grappling with the cleanup of the Whittaker-Bermite property at the center of the city for decades, were nonplussed. They will continue to remove the salt from the soil at the 996-acre site as well as from the groundwater it has seeped into. … “
Continue reading from the Santa Clarita Signal by clicking here.
Increasing storm-water capture is doable, says commentary
Posted by: Maven on March 31, 2011 at 6:54 amFrom the San Gabriel Valley Tribune, this commentary by Richard Atwater of the Southern California Water Committee:
“There are always two sides of a coin. Southern California has been gripped by powerful and fierce storms this year that have wreaked havoc and caused extensive damage in some communities. Drought warnings, mandatory water conservation and rationing may be distant memories, but we should not rest easy.
While we’ve experienced record-breaking levels of rainfall and snowpack in 2011, much of that water can’t be physically captured. And that situation brings me to the other side of the coin.
That surplus water, angrily raging through concrete river channels and dumping out into the Pacific Ocean, presents a significant and unique opportunity for Southern California to improve its water supplies and rise to new standards of environmental stewardship. The challenge: Capture that stormwater now, bank it and save it for a future dry day. … “
Continue reading from the San Gabriel Valley Tribune by clicking here.
Reservoirs swell across the state
Posted by: Maven on March 31, 2011 at 6:52 amFrom the North County Times:
“California’s reservoir storage has gone from famine to feast, providing a solid foundation for Gov. Brown’s order Wednesday lifting the state’s drought declaration.
Southern California experienced a particularly dramatic turnaround at its largest reservoir, Diamond Valley Lake. The reservoir is now 90 percent full, according to the reservoir’s owner, Metropolitan Water District.
Last July, when Metropolitan announced a plan to fill Diamond Valley Lake to 75 percent capacity by the end of 2010, the reservoir was just half full. … “
Continue reading from the North County Times by clicking here.
South Bay leaders launch Mayor’s Challenge water conservation contest
Posted by: Maven on March 31, 2011 at 6:50 amFrom the Daily Breeze:
“For the eco-friendly looking to help cut their city’s reliance on fresh water resources, a pledge to help the environment is just a click away.
South Bay elected leaders are asking residents to make a commitment to conserve water and cut pollution by participating in a regional online contest aimed at drastically slashing water and energy use across Southern California.
The Mayor’s Challenge will start Friday and residents can enter by making water conservation pledges at www.mywaterpledge.com. … “
Continue reading from the Daily Breeze by clicking here.
This just in … DWR announces results of fourth snow survey of 2010-2011 season
Posted by: Maven on March 30, 2011 at 2:36 pm
From the Department of Water Resources:From the Department of Water Resources:
“Department of Water Resources (DWR) hydrologists today announced that water content in California’s mountain snowpack is 165 percent of the April 1 full season average.
“Recent storms have significantly contributed to the above-average snowpack, helping to stabilize California’s water supply for the year,” said DWR Director Mark Cowin. “While this is beneficial for California’s farms, businesses and communities, we remind residents to practice sensible water use and conservation as we transition to warmer weather.”
After the snowpack readings were in, Governor Jerry Brown officially rescinded former Governor Schwarzenegger’s emergency proclamations and executive order issued in 2008 and 2009 relating to water shortage associated with the drought.
Continue reading “This just in … DWR announces results of fourth snow survey of 2010-2011 season” »
Wednesday’s top of the scroll: More on Governor Brown’s anticipated announcement of the end of the drought
Posted by: Maven on March 30, 2011 at 9:16 amAre you tired of the end of the drought stories yet? Well, here’s the latest batch, wrapped up into one post, starting with the Contra Costa Times:
“After two wet winters, Gov. Jerry Brown is scheduled to announce Wednesday that California’s three-year drought has ended, although officials will continue to call for conservation measures.
Brown is expected to make the official announcement after receiving manual snowpack measurements from the Department of Water Resources. Officials expect the statistics will confirm electronic readings that the water content is nearly 60 percent above average – that enough to call an end to the drought of 2007-09.
Los Angeles officials said they are not prepared to rescind lawn-watering restrictions until they have more confidence about the long-term outlook. And Brown spokesman Evan Westrup also said the governor will be urging Californians to continue to watch their water use. … “
Continue reading from the Contra Costa Times by clicking here.
From the Whittier Daily News, water officials in Southern California say don’t count on your water bill going down anytime soon, though. The need for conservation remains, say officials in this article from the Riverside Press-Enterprise: “Drought or no drought, residents need to have a new mindset about water, he said. “We just don’t have extra water to waste. We can’t think about it as feast or famine. We need to change our water ethic and only use what we need,” Rossi said. … ”
MORE COVERAGE: Here’s the Sacramento Bee story, the San Diego Union Tribune story, and even the newscast from Channel 10 in Sacramento.
All of this in anticipation of an announcement that Governor Brown hasn’t actually made yet.
I’ll post snow survey results when they come in!
Near-record Sierra snow good news to parched California
Posted by: Maven on March 30, 2011 at 9:05 amFrom the Fresno Bee:
“Chris Rivest’s father sent him from San Francisco to the family vacation cabin near the Sierra Nevada crest with a seemingly simple chore – clear it and the driveway of snow.
Easy for him to say. When Rivest arrived earlier this week at the cabin near Soda Springs, about 90 miles northeast of Sacramento, the snow was so deep it nearly touched the power lines crossing in front of the cabin. Snow was piled at least 10 feet high on top of the deck of the A-frame home.
“My dad wants me to clear the deck,” the ponytailed 21-year-old said Monday, as he labored to clear the driveway with a snow blower. “How do I even begin to do that? Where would I put the snow? This is absurd.” … “
Continue reading from the Fresno Bee by clicking here.
Final judgment issued in smelt case
Posted by: Maven on March 30, 2011 at 9:01 amFrom ACWA’s Water News:
“U.S. District Judge Oliver Wanger issued a final written judgment today in a suit involving protections for Delta smelt.
In December, Wanger overturned major portions of a federal plan designed to protect the smelt, finding that restrictions on Delta pumping required under the plan were not adequately justified. He ordered key elements of the plan, known as a biological opinion, back to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for further consideration. … “
Continue reading from ACWA’s Water News by clicking here.
More on the salmon biop litigation
Posted by: Maven on March 30, 2011 at 9:00 amAnd in more court filing news, Brandon Middleton has an update on the salmon litigation: plaintiffs Kern County Water Agency, Coalition for a Sustainable Delta, Metropolitan Water District, and State Water Contractors filed this document, and the California Department of Water Resources also filed a document; everyone apparently in agreement the issue is moot.
You can find all the links to the documents at the Liberty Blog by clicking here.
Central Valley farm groundwater will soon be monitored
Posted by: Maven on March 30, 2011 at 8:56 amFrom the Chico Enterprise-Record:
“The program that currently monitors the quality of water that runs off farms in the Central Valley to surface waterways, is expected to expand next year to include groundwater.
The Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board is scheduled to make a final decision April 7 in Rancho Cordova, with the new rules to kick in April 2012.
Many details need to be worked out; specifically, how much the program will cost landowners and which level of monitoring will be required on which properties. … “
Continue reading from the Chico Enterprise-Record by clicking here.
Western Weather Blog: The Southwest rainfall season at a glance
Posted by: Maven on March 30, 2011 at 8:54 amDespite our abundant and awesome snowpack, not all of the West fared as well. From the Accu-Weather Western Weather Blog:
“As promised yesterday, today I give you the statistics of where we are at compared to normal for precipitation in the Southwest, including all of California and around the Sierra.
They say a picture is worth a thousand words. In this case a chart will do the same. The following is a list of cities with precipitation to date, normal precipitation to date, and the corresponding percentage of normal. This data runs from July1 to midnight last night. … “
Continue reading from the Accu-Weather Western Weather Blog by clicking here.
Tim Quinn/Voices on Water blog: Rain and snowfall end drought, but we’re not home free
Posted by: Maven on March 30, 2011 at 8:49 amFrom Tim Quinn at the ACWA Voices on Water Blog:
“Gov. Jerry Brown is expected to officially declare the drought over tomorrow when the latest Sierra snowpack readings are reported by the Department of Water Resources.
The end of the hydrologic drought is great news for watersheds and reservoirs that had languished through consecutive dry years in 2007, 2008 and 2009. But while a massive snowpack and nearly full reservoirs are welcome indeed, our water supply picture is about much more than what Mother Nature provides in a given year.
Drought declarations come and go, but they no longer capture the full extent of the state’s ongoing water supply challenges. Nor do they reflect the way our aging water supply system needs to be managed in today’s world of regulatory uncertainty, climate change and growing demands for more flexible water project operations. … “
Continue reading Tim Quinn’s post at the ACWA Voices on Water blog by clicking here.
You can read ACWA’s statement on the expected end to the drought by clicking here.
Legal Planet blog: Ninth Circuit rejects commerce clause challenge to ESA
Posted by: Maven on March 30, 2011 at 8:46 amFrom the Legal Planet blog:
“Aligning itself with four other federal circuits that have addressed the question, the Ninth Circuit has ruled that application of the Endangered Species Act to California’s imperiled Delta Smelt doesn’t violate the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution.
San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority v. Salazar (http://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2011/03/25/10-15192.pdf ) is the latest chapter in the long-running legal battle over whether operation of the massive federal and California state water projects in Central California contravenes the ESA. In particular, the deleterious effects of those projects on the Delta Smelt, a critical “indicator species” that’s listed as threatened by federal regulators under the ESA, have been a major reason federal regulators and courts have ordered reductions in water diversions from the California Delta in recent years. … “
PR in LA blog: The pyschology of water
Posted by: Maven on March 30, 2011 at 8:43 amFrom the PR in LA blog:
“On Wednesday, March 30, California Governor Jerry Brown is expected to declare the state’s drought over.
And with this declaration, so goes a piece of leverage effectively used by water districts and others with a stake in California’s water future.
Is it political leverage? Or, should officials simply be commended for take advantage of the tools in front of them? … “
Continue reading from the PR in LA blog by clicking here.
Where will ‘amber waves of grain’ grow in a climate-changed world?
Posted by: Maven on March 30, 2011 at 8:38 amFrom the New York Times:
“Giving new meaning to toasted wheat, a team of agricultural researchers has spent the past three years and almost a million dollars installing electric heaters over wheat fields in the desert of Maricopa, Ariz.
Called the “Hot Serial Cereal” project, the experiment is not a move to tempt breakfast-eaters in the morning, but rather to simulate a temperature rise of 2 to 6 degrees Fahrenheit — the predicted global average increase for the next 50 years.
While there is a general consensus that tropical regions will be feeling most of the heat from climate change, no one knows exactly how agriculture and food patterns are going to pan out in a greenhouse gas-affected world. So researchers around the globe are setting up experiments in wheat fields to match — or refute — theoretical models. Some experiments use heaters, while others spray concentrated carbon dioxide on plants, copying an expected rise in atmospheric CO2. … “
Continue reading from the New York Times by clicking here.
Intelligent use of water: Is Australia’s model the one to follow?
Posted by: Maven on March 30, 2011 at 8:36 amFrom the Triple Pundit:
“Naomi Klein, in her book, The Shock Doctrine, makes the point that it is far easier to get big things done in the aftermath of a disaster than before. Not always the best things, they are often opportunistic plays by those in power who have been waiting to push through a pre-existing agenda. But they only succeed because the people accepting the new agenda have been rudely awakened to the need for action. In a way it’s a commentary on human nature. We tend to ignore threats until they hit us. Indeed, it is perhaps the essential theme underlying the move we’re going to need to make to a more sustainable world, that conscious migration from a reactive to a pro-active mentality. And then of course, there are the vested interests…
This is pretty much the background behind today’s story which contrasts Australia’s hard won water policy forged in the aftermath of a twelve year drought with California’s policy which might more closely resemble an attitude of “it can’t happen here.” … “
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