Wednesday’s top of the scroll: Delta studies to be released after complaints from Congress, others
Posted by: Maven on November 30, 2011 at 7:40 amFrom the Contra Costa Times:
“Reacting to fierce criticism from Northern California members of Congress and others, state and federal water officials said Tuesday they would make public draft documents for a controversial water plan and no longer allow major water agencies to review them in advance.
The move amounts to a small retreat after state and federal water officials for weeks insisted that complaints about a new contract were misplaced.
Further changes to the contract, which cleared the way for another $100 million in studies for the Bay Delta Conservation Plan, could come soon, officials said.
“Both the Brown administration and the Obama administration are committed to transparency,” Deputy Interior Secretary David Hayes said. “The second reason we’re doing it is the stakes are so high here.” … “
Continue reading from the Contra Costa Times by clicking here.
MORE COVERAGE:
- Equal access to Bay Delta report granted, from the Stockton Record
- Federal, state agencies pledge ‘transparency’ on Bay-Delta Conservation Plan, from the Lodi News-Sentinel
- Federal, State Officials Announce Speedier Access to BDCP Technical Documents, from ACWA’s Water News
- State and feds announce expedited access to Delta plan documents, from Dan Bacher at IndyBay.org
- Federal, State Partners on Bay-Delta Restoration Effort Announce Updates on Transparency, Release of Draft Technical Documents, press release from the Department of Interior
Former Judge Wanger representing Westlands Water District
Posted by: Maven on November 30, 2011 at 7:32 amFrom the Fresno Bee:
“Recently retired federal judge Oliver W. Wanger, who presided over dozens of cases involving the Westlands Water District in a 20-year career, is now representing the agency.
The twist comes just two months after Wanger was ruling on federal water disputes in his final days on the Fresno bench. His most recent rulings for the most part sided with arguments made by Westlands and against those put forth by environmental groups at the federal government.
“I would love to hear what Westlands would say if we had hired [Wanger],” said Zeke Grader, executive director of the San Francisco-based Pacific Coast Federation of Fisherman’s Associations.
That would be fine with him, Wanger said. … “
Continue reading from the Fresno Bee by clicking here.
MORE COVERAGE:
- Former judge goes to work for Westlands Water, from the Sacramento Bee
- Retired federal judge to represent Westlands Water District, from the Los Angeles Times
California Water Wars blog on Wanger’s new job: Aftermath
Posted by: Maven on November 30, 2011 at 7:27 amFrom the California Water Wars blog:
“Former U.S. District Judge Oliver W. Wanger, who spent two decades as a jurist deep in the Central Valley, is shaping up as something of a courtroom nemesis for environmentalists. And he’s not even on the bench.
Wanger, who has ruled on numerous water cases, retired at the end of September – but not before he blasted the government’s environmental assessments of flows and fresh water in a case involving Delta smelt protections. Wanger’s sharp language, in which he denounced experts from the Bureau of Reclamation and the Fish and Wildlife Service, drew national attention.
The Westlands Water District, the nation’s premier farm irrigation district and a major political player in the Central Valley, sought more flows south from the Delta; the government’s position would have limited them. In the end, Wanger’s decision was favorable to Westlands. … “
Continue reading from the California Water Wars blog by clicking here.
Tuolumne Utilities District & Calaveras County Water District: Delta Plan EIR comment deadline extension good news, but serious concerns still remain
Posted by: Maven on November 30, 2011 at 7:24 amFrom the Union Democrat:
“Local agencies will have more time to comment on a master plan for management of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, which they say could hinder local water supplies.
The Delta Stewardship Council last week extended the comment period for the first draft of the Environmental Impact Report for the Delta Plan. Comments will now be taken until Feb. 2. Multiple local officials and governing boards requested the 30-day extension because the report, more than 2,000 pages long, is taking extra time to review.
Pete Kampa and Joone Lopez, general managers of Tuolumne Utilities District and Calaveras County Water District, respectively, said on Monday that the extension is good news. But they also said it appears the current draft of the plan could impinge on water rights and add costs for mountain communities located on Delta tributaries — including the Merced, Tuolumne, Stanislaus, Calaveras, Mokelumne and Cosumnes rivers. … “
Continue reading from the Union Democrat by clicking here.
Alex Breitler’s blog: Help wanted
Posted by: Maven on November 30, 2011 at 7:19 amIf you’re qualified to build the peripheral canal/tunnel/thingie, Alex Brietler knows where you can find a job.
Green Roots blog: Using military expertise to help take down the San Clemente Dam?
Posted by: Maven on November 30, 2011 at 7:05 amFrom the Planning & Conservation League’s Green Roots blog:
“Recently, John Woodly, the former Assistant Secretary of the Army of Civil Works, wrote an article citing previous Administrations’ efforts to utilize unique government expertise in public and private sector projects. Specifically, he highlighted a dam removal project in North Carolina as an example of a collaborative effort that brought together civilian biologists and engineers to work with military demolition experts as means of “getting more from each appropriated dollar.” Fortunately, as Woodly noted in the recent article, California too has a dam removal project ripe for government funding.
The San Clemente Dam Removal Project provides an excellent opportunity to maximize the use of public dollars to achieve multiple objectives. The project will remove an unsafe dam, help to restore a vibrant ecosystem along the Carmel River, and in the process can provide prime training for military personnel. … “
Continue reading from the Green Roots blog by clicking here.
Fresno Bee News Blog: San Joaquin River salmon restoration in a year? Really?
Posted by: Maven on November 30, 2011 at 7:02 amFrom the Fresno Bee News Blog:
“After The Bee’s story Monday about state and federal efforts to guide migrating salmon in the San Joaquin River, a Valley farmer along the river said the vast restoration of the San Joaquin is not on schedule.
He’s worried about land next to the river on the west side of the San Joaquin Valley. And he seems to have a point.
A landmark agreement signed in 2006 calls for salmon restoration to begin in late December 2012. The reviving of the long-dried San Joaquin and long-dead salmon runs is news around the country.
But small dams on the river need to be bypassed in some way. A vast stretch of the river channel may need to be rebuilt. The channel needs to be opened up in some places. … “
Continue reading from the Fresno Bee News blog by clicking here.
California Greening blog: The road to the future: California water management reconfiguration
Posted by: Maven on November 30, 2011 at 6:42 amFrom the California Greening blog:
“The real politics in California has nothing to do with environmentalism. This is simply self-promotion by urban metropolises for increasing water supplies. The conflict is for the diversion of surface water supplies. This takes place while California’s coastal cities continue to disregard new supplies through desalination because of its costs. Rural regions have painted themselves in the corner through their depletion of groundwater supplies.
It is a classic urban vs. rural water war. Cities gave themselves a blank check for growth through diversions of surface water from rural regions. Now, every diversion sparks conflict. This has nothing to do with the environment, just users fighting for supplies of surface freshwater. It could be resolved simply by regional planning and sustainable prioritization of regional supplies by regional users. The longer the diversions are the focus of the conflict the more intense it will become. … “
Continue reading from the California Greening blog by clicking here.
Commentary: Can’t live by scenery alone: California’s environmental lobby wages war on rural property owners
Posted by: Maven on November 30, 2011 at 6:39 amFrom Stephen Greenhut, posted at the City Journal:
““Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul alike,” wrote John Muir, in one of his many celebrations of the majesty of the Yosemite Valley. The Scottish-born founder of the Sierra Club recognized that man does not live by bread alone. His latter-day followers, however, seem to have forgotten that man cannot live by natural beauty alone, either. An urban-based environmentalist movement wants to lock up ever-expanding swaths of rural land so that no one can build on them or even work on them. Many rural residents are convinced that California’s powerful environmental lobby wants to “rewild” the landscape and drive them away, turning their communities into glorified playgrounds for urbanites.
The state’s urban areas are massive. Los Angeles County is more populous than 43 states. One of my favorite sights—from a nighttime descent into any one of Southern California’s airports—is the Los Angeles basin spreading out endlessly like successive strings of Christmas tree lights. The San Francisco Bay Area is home to more than 7 million people. California has cities few people have heard of that are more populous than major cities in the Midwest. Big-city voters, especially those who live west of the coastal ranges, are far removed from the ranchers, miners, loggers, and farmers who inhabit the state’s rural regions. … “
Continue reading this commentary by clicking here.
Latest issue of Delta Science News now available online
Posted by: Maven on November 30, 2011 at 6:34 amThe latest issue of Delta Science News, a publication of the Delta Stewardship Council’s Delta Science Program, is now available online. Click here to read.
Sierra Watch sends open memo to Garden Bar dam backers: Sierra conservationists offer summary of growing opposition to Bear River dam
Posted by: Maven on November 30, 2011 at 6:32 amReceived via email from Sierra Watch, this open memo regarding the proposed Garden Bar dam:
“Sierra conservationists sent financial backers of the Bear River Dam an open memo, summarizing insurmountable obstacles and overwhelming opposition to the controversial proposal.
The memo (below), from Nevada City based Sierra Watch to Castaic Lake Water Agency, Palmdale Water District, San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District, City of Napa, and City of American Canyon, conveys “an overwhelming argument against further investment in the project.”
“The proposed dam on the Bear River is going nowhere fast,” according to Peter Van Zant of Sierra Watch. “The original funders of the initial proposal need to know that further investment in the project would be a waste of ratepayer money.” … “
Click read more to read the text of the memo. Continue reading “Sierra Watch sends open memo to Garden Bar dam backers: Sierra conservationists offer summary of growing opposition to Bear River dam” »
Commentary: Cargill-Redwood City water grab
Posted by: Maven on November 30, 2011 at 6:31 amFrom the San Mateo Daily Journal, this commentary by Philip Erro is a third generation Fresno County farmer, past president of the San Joaquin Valley Resource Conservation and Development Council and past president and current director of the Westside Resource Conservation District:
“An essential element of Cargill’s proposed development in Redwood City is the diversion of millions of gallons of water from the Bakersfield area to Redwood City. Cargill is offering Redwood City enough water to enable the city to increase its population by 33 percent. This is quite an inducement in terms of potential new sales and property tax revenue from new residences and commercial establishments.
But instead of opting for Cargill’s version of sprawl in Redwood City wetlands and marshes, we could restore those wetlands over time and use the water Redwood City already has more effectively to enable population growth.
I am a resident of Redwood City, but I am a native of Fresno and own an almond orchard in Fresno County. My almond orchard consumes about 600 acre-feet of water to produce 450,000 pounds of almonds (An acre-foot is the amount of water that would cover an acre one foot deep, and is the approximate annual water use of a suburban household). … “
Continue reading this commentary at the San Mateo Daily Journal by clicking here.
Inyo County: Technical group on groundwater pumping
Posted by: Maven on November 30, 2011 at 6:28 amFrom Sierra Wave:
“No surprise here in this story. The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and Inyo County continue to lock horns over groundwater pumping. Will Inyo dispute the latest attempt by DWP to take as much groundwater as they want? The Inyo Supervisors may decide at their December 6th meeting. … “
Continue reading from Sierra Wave by clicking here.
Plan could restrict Yosemite use: Court order to preserve Merced River places capacity limits on national park
Posted by: Maven on November 30, 2011 at 6:21 amFrom the Merced Sun-Star:
“A well-intentioned plan to preserve the natural beauty of the Merced River may wind up limiting the number of visitors U.S. national parks can have at any one time.
A 1987 federal law designated the river as a “wild and scenic” location that needed to be preserved. To do that today, however, it seems that restrictions could be imposed on the number of visitors allowed into Yosemite and, ultimately, all other national parks.
Under a federal court order, Yosemite National Park officials will have to limit the number of people allowed in park locations at any one time. The ruling is aimed at protecting the Merced River under its “wild and scenic” designation. … “
Continue reading from the Merced Sun-Star by clicking here.
Glendale water rates could be divided into multiple tiers
Posted by: Maven on November 30, 2011 at 6:18 amFrom the Glendale News-Press:
“The city’s water rates may soon be divided into multiple tiers based on the amount of water customers use. The change could come in the wake of a plan endorsed Tuesday by the City Council. If ultimately approved, the plan would boost revenues to erase $13.5-million worth of red ink and pay for badly needed infrastructure improvements.
Under the plan, the biggest water users likely will see higher rates, while those who use the least could actually see their bills reduced. City Council members also said they favored rate changes that would increase Glendale Water & Power revenue incrementally through 2015, starting with 2% the first two years, 4% the third and then 5% in the final year.
The rates changes could go into effect starting in March. … “
Continue reading from the Glendale News-Press by clicking here.
LADWP Water Quality Factor Proposal: Safe drinking water is LADWP water system’s #1 priority
Posted by: Maven on November 30, 2011 at 6:12 amFrom the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power:
“In coordination with the Los Angeles City Council, LADWP has placed on hold all of its pending water and power rate adjustments that were the subject of over 30 public presentations this past summer until the City Council has appointed a Rate Payer Advocate. The process of selecting a Rate Payer Advocate is moving forward. Many of LADWP’s projects and programs have been deferred pending additional revenue that the rate adjustments will provide. Of all the required projects and programs, however, LADWP cannot defer its compliance with a longstanding drinking water quality standard compliance program.
Drinking Water Quality Program: To keep drinking water safe for customers, LADWP is required to meet strict water quality standards set by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and enforced by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). As part of the continuous effort to improve drinking water quality, these standards have become more stringent, and require LADWP to invest in over 100 water quality improvement projects, the most significant of which require LADWP to cover, bypass or remove from service all 10 water reservoirs in the Los Angeles basin. Five reservoirs have been covered or bypassed and there are five more to go. … “
Continue reading from the LADWP by clicking here.
San Diego storm water plans face new hurdle
Posted by: Maven on November 30, 2011 at 6:06 amFrom the San Diego Union-Tribune:
“San Diego’s freshly minted storm water system maintenance plans have been appealed to the California Coastal Commission, where staff have found what they describe as substantial issues with the city’s centerpiece strategy for keeping channels clear.
The commission’s governing panel will take up the issue on Dec. 7 during a meeting in San Francisco.
In October, the San Diego City Council unanimously approved a citywide “master maintenance” plan for channel clearing after years of drafting and debate. It’s designed to minimize flooding in low-lying areas along Chollas Creek, Los Penasquitos Creek and several other waterways. At about the same time, the council signed off on a separate strategy for removing sediment from the heavily polluted Tijuana River Valley. … “
Continue reading from the San Diego Union-Tribune by clicking here.
Salazar announces finalization of Soboba tribal water rights settlement
Posted by: Maven on November 30, 2011 at 5:59 amFrom Indian Country Today:
“After three years, the Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians has received its water settlement agreement from the United States government. On November 29, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced the Soboba of Luiseño Indians Settlement Act, worth $21 million in federal funding.
The historic settlement was the final step in fulfilling promises made in 2008, when Congress approved the Act, to the Band and southern California communities.
“Today we bring to a close more than 150 years of conflict and decades of litigation between the Soboba Band and neighboring communities over the San Jacinto River Basin’s limited water resources,” said Secretary Salazar. “Thanks to collaboration among the Band, the water districts and the U.S. government, the funds we are releasing today will have a real, lasting impact when it comes to a secure water supply and spurring economic development for the Soboba nation and the neighboring communities.” … “
Continue reading from Indian Country Today by clicking here.
MORE: Salazar Announces Finalization of Soboba Tribal Water Rights Settlement, Triggering Release of $21 million Benefiting Reservation and California’s San Jacinto River Basin Communities, press release from the Department of Interior
Colorado River Basin Water Supply and Demand Study seeks input to help resolve projected future supply and demand imbalances
Posted by: Maven on November 30, 2011 at 5:52 amFrom the Bureau of Reclamation:
“The Bureau of Reclamation is announcing the initiation of Phase 4 of the Colorado River Basin Water Supply and Demand Study: Development and Evaluation of Opportunities for Balancing Water Supply and Demand. The Colorado River Basin (Basin) Study was initiated by Reclamation as part of the Department of the Interior’s WaterSMART program under the 2009 SECURE Water Act (P.L. 111-11).
With Phase 4 of the Study, the team is seeking a broad range of options to help resolve future water supply and demand imbalances in the Colorado River. The team will explore the effectiveness of various options and groupings of options, referred to as strategies, for helping resolve projected future imbalances. The performance of options and strategies will be evaluated over time and across the combination of water supply and demand scenarios. Due to the scale of the Basin, the magnitude and timing of projected imbalances, and the broad needs of the Basin resources being considered, a wide variety of options will likely be explored, including conservation and reuse, development of local groundwater supplies, augmentation, water transfers, and operational efficiencies.
The reports and analysis in the Study will better define options for future water management of the Colorado River Basin where climate change, record drought, population increases and environmental needs have heightened competition for scarce water supplies. Based on preliminary assessments, large supply-demand imbalances greater than 3.5 million acre-feet (maf) are plausible over the next 50 years when considering a water supply scenario that incorporates changes in climate. Work is ongoing to explore alternative combinations of supply and demand that could result in a range of imbalances both greater and less than 3.5 maf. … “
Continue reading from the Bureau of Reclamation by clicking here.
Groups filing opposition to Vegas water pipeline
Posted by: Maven on November 30, 2011 at 5:48 amFrom the Las Vegas Sun:
“Conservation groups and others have begun a public comment drive to persuade Nevada’s top state water official to reject the Southern Nevada Water Authority’s request to pump groundwater from the eastern part of the state and pipe it to Las Vegas.
More than 21,000 comments were sent Tuesday to State Engineer Jason King in Carson City opposing the Southern Nevada Water Authority project, according to officials with the Tucson, Ariz.-based Center for Biological Diversity. … “
Continue reading from the Las Vegas Sun by clicking here.
Tuesday’s top of the scroll: Salton Sea restoration effort draws Assembly subcommittee hearing
Posted by: Maven on November 29, 2011 at 8:26 am
From the Imperial Valley Press:
“Violeta Lopez has been on the front line of the changes that are taking place in the Salton Sea.
The North Shore resident of 16 years has seen people move away, kids having health problems and the smell of the sea grow worse throughout the years, she said in Spanish. The residents there now only have one store in which to buy groceries, and Lopez attributes that among other things to a declining, super-salinated sea that appears no closer to getting better.
She wants to know when all the talk is going to stop and action will start to save the sea and the community she lives in. No one could answer Lopez’s question, though much discussion settled Monday around how the state can move forward to help save the Salton Sea.
Sacramento came to the Salton Sea as the Assembly budget subcommittee on resources and transportation held a hearing at the North Shore Yacht Club, inviting local officials and residents to give their input on how they see the future of the largest inland body of water in the state. … “
Continue reading from the Imperial Valley Press by clicking here.
Coverage from the Imperial Valley Press continues here: Locals seek to retain control of Salton Sea restoration
From the Desert Sun:
“As state lawmakers held their first summit in more than four years on the looming death of the Salton Sea, Sonia Herbert gazed out the window at the North Shore Beach & Yacht Club marina, where squawking seabirds swooped across the glassy sea surface, fishing for tilapia.
Like most of the 60 people who attended Monday’s hearing, Herbert, who has lived in Bombay Beach since the 1970s, fears the worst: that time is running out on efforts to repair the sea and sustain its wildlife, and that overwhelming public health and economic crises will follow.
“All we’ve seen is studies, studies, studies and nothing has been done,” a visibly frustrated Herbert told Assemblyman V. Manuel Pérez and two Assembly budget committee members. “What’s going to happen if we don’t do something?” … “
Continue reading from the Desert Sun by clicking here.
Lodi-area politicians blast Bay Delta Conservation Plan MOA
Posted by: Maven on November 29, 2011 at 8:08 am(Original headline: “Local politicians blast Delta plan”. The media seems to be shortening their headlines to read “Delta Plan” instead of specifying the BDCP MOA. I am changing headlines to reflect this, but I wonder what this is doing in the minds of the general public that may not understand the difference.) From the Lodi News-Sentinel:
“Elected officials from the Lodi area are among those trying to convince authors of a plan that may send Delta waters to the southern San Joaquin Valley and Los Angeles Basin to change their minds.
The sticking point is a “memorandum of agreement” to the Bay-Delta Conservation Plan that the U.S. Department of the Interior adopted in September.
State Sen. Lois Wolk, D-Davis, says that the memorandum of agreement was made among several water agencies and contractors, not Northern California water interests or Delta property owners who rely on the water for the success of their businesses and agricultural production.
“It’s very worrisome,” Wolk told the News-Sentinel on Monday afternoon. … “
Continue reading from the Lodi News-Sentinel by clicking here.
… and San Joaquin County lawmakers, too
Posted by: Maven on November 29, 2011 at 8:03 amFrom the Stockton Record:
“Opposition to a new Bay-Delta planning document continues to mount.
Four California lawmakers representing San Joaquin County are urging state and federal water officials to reverse support for a new agreement.
In a letter to the U.S. Department of the Interior and the state Natural Resources Agency, 17 legislators, including the four whose districts cover the county, complained about the “undue influence granted to State and Federal export water agencies.” … “
Continue reading from the Stockton Record by clicking here.
Here’s a few more stories on salmon eggs and ag water conservation ….
Posted by: Maven on November 29, 2011 at 8:00 amIn a story that continues to reverberate around the internet, the AP picks up the salmon eggs story as does MyMotherLode.com. Also in boomerang mode, here is another story on the latest report on agricultural water conservation.
Valley Economy blog: Cost-benefit analysis and the co-equal goals
Posted by: Maven on November 29, 2011 at 7:54 amFrom the Valley Economy blog:
“Cost-benefit analysis is the scientifically accepted approach to weighing the merits of complex public works projects like a $12+ billion isolated water conveyance facility in the Delta or several billion dollars invested in creating tidal marsh and other habitat in the Delta.
The Delta Reform Act creates a very different framework for evaluating Delta plans, the co-equal goals of water supply reliability and protecting, restoring and enhancing the Delta ecosystem. Cost-benefit analysis is inconsistent with the co-equal goals, because the co-equal goals single out two of the many types of societal benefits produced by the Delta and requires they be placed ahead of others, whereas cost-benefit analysis measures and considers all potential benefits in a consistent way. The economic considerations that are left out of the co-equal goals are considerable, and in total greatly exceed the value of water supply reliability (as demonstrated by DWR’s own DRMS risk analysis for those who read beyond the executive summary). … “
Continue reading from the Valley Economy blog by clicking here.
Water quality improvement for small California communities, says commentary
Posted by: Maven on November 29, 2011 at 7:46 amFrom the Fresno Bee, this commentary by Ron Chapman, director of the California Department of Public Health:
“Recently, I joined Assembly Member Henry T. Perea and local leaders on a visit to the Tulare County communities of Cutler, Orosi and East Orosi — communities that are struggling to provide safe, clean drinking water to the region.
As the newly appointed state public health officer, I wanted to hear first-hand from the individuals and families who have deep concerns about the availability of clean drinking water and the impact on their health.
I learned a great deal during my visit and I’m encouraged by the public private partnership formed between various entities working toward the common goal of improving water quality for local communities.
Water quality improvement needs exist throughout California. A recent U.S. Environmental Protection Agency study calculated the national need for drinking water improvements at $324 billion; California’s share of this need is $39 billion. … “
Continue reading from the Fresno Bee by clicking here.
Water conservation in the instream flows market in California
Posted by: Maven on November 29, 2011 at 7:43 amFrom the Triple Pundit, this open letter to Governor Brown:
“Dear Governor Jerry Brown:
Thank you for your continued support of water conservation in California. As concerned citizens, and MBA students at Presidio Graduate School, we write to you with the intent of improving California’s ecological health. We are concerned specifically with the use of water right transfers for instream flows, a $155 million market from 1998 to 2005. We propose the fortification of this market as a way to conserve essential stream flows.
California, in all her majesty, is a state with many ecological issues looming on the horizon. With the population expected to grow to 52 million by 2030, strain on environmental resources will dramatically increase in the near future. This strain will find no greater realization than in water availability. The added effects of global warming, with an estimated 90% reduction in Sierra snowpack by 2100, will create a hydrological reality difficult to imagine from the present, already strained, point of view. … “
Continue reading from the Triple Pundit by clicking here.
Natural Resources Committee to hold oversight hearing on Endangered Species Act litigation
Posted by: Maven on November 29, 2011 at 7:41 amFrom the House Natural Resources Committee:
“On Tuesday, December 6th the Natural Resources Committee will hold a Full Committee oversight hearing on “The Endangered Species Act: How Litigation is Costing Jobs and Impeding True Recovery Efforts.”
“This hearing is the first of many that the Natural Resources Committee will hold to examine both the strengths and weaknesses of the Endangered Species Act. It has been over two decades since the ESA was last reauthorized and it’s the responsibility of Congress to undertake a thoughtful analysis of the law to see what improvements could be made to ensure that it works for both species and people,” said Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings. “The goal of the ESA is to conserve key domestic species, yet it’s being used by special interest groups to file lawsuits and drain resources away from real recovery efforts. This hearing will specifically look at the impacts of ESA litigation on jobs, our economy and species recovery.” … “
Witnesses are yet to be announced. The hearing will be held in Washington, DC and will be webcast. For more information, click here.
California farms are looking greener than ever: With prices for many crops near all-time highs, farm income is expected to post strong gains this year
Posted by: Maven on November 29, 2011 at 7:37 amFrom the Los Angeles Times:
“As Californians savor their Thanksgiving feasts, the states’ farmers are especially thankful. California’s agriculture sector is on track for a record year, a rare bright spot in the state’s economy.
Prices for cotton, grapes and other crops are near all-time highs. Foreign buyers are gobbling California almonds, grapes, citrus and dairy products. Agricultural exports through September are up 16% over the same period last year. Net farm income is projected to post strong gains in 2011 after nearly doubling over the previous decade.
At a time when other Golden State industries are struggling, times are good down on the farm. Just ask Steve Moore. … “
Continue reading from the Los Angeles Times by clicking here.
The power politics of water struggles
Posted by: Maven on November 29, 2011 at 7:36 amFrom the New York Times:
“When you’re driving through a war zone, your instinct may be to roll up the car windows. Wrong move. A bullet is less likely to hit you than to strike the glass, which will shatter and probably cause injuries. It takes firsthand experience to learn these tricks of the trade, and for years, Mark Zeitoun has sought out such experience.
Yet he did not scout out war zones as a combatant or journalist; he was delivering water.
A leading thinker in the field of water issues, Dr. Zeitoun helped pioneer a way of analyzing international water tensions, departing from the idea that water struggles are characterized either by peaceful cooperation or armed conflict. He suggests that countries’ approaches can vary by many gradations in between. … “
Continue reading from the New York Times by clicking here.
Press-Democrat editorial: Alliance forms to end Klamath water war
Posted by: Maven on November 29, 2011 at 7:34 amFrom the Santa Rosa Press Democrat:
“One of the West’s great water wars may be drawing to a close. The battling parties are now allies, committed to ending a century-long dispute over water in the Klamath Basin.
After years of negotiations, farmers, fishermen, Indian tribes and environmental groups are supporting the removal of four dams on the Klamath River in Northern California and southern Oregon.
Removing the dams would reopen 300 miles of spawning habitat, with an Interior Department study projecting an 80 percent increase in salmon stocks. The multiparty agreement also offers new certainty for farmers in the Klamath Basin. … “
Continue reading this editorial from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat by clicking here.
C-WIN and Trinity Guides ask for moratorium on Trinity River mainstem projects
Posted by: Maven on November 29, 2011 at 7:32 amFrom C-WIN (California Water Impact Network):
“Douglas City, Calif.– Today the Trinity River Guides Association and the California Water Impact Network asked the Trinity River Restoration Program to take a break to determine if river restoration projects completed to date have met their objectives or had unintended impacts. The letter states that there is public concern about significant filling of pool habitat for adult salmon and steelhead from excessive gravel introduction into the river channel as well as numerous side channel failures.
Bill Dickens of the Guides Association said, “There is no choice but to oppose this type of project until an evaluation of the existing projects is complete. We are just asking the Restoration Program to do what is already required as part of the Trinity River Record of Decision.” The Record of Decision was signed by former Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt and former Hoopa Valley Tribe Chairman Duane Sherman in Hoopa on December 19, 2000.
Tom Stokely with C-WIN said “The Interior Department and the Trinity River Restoration Program are not responsive to public concerns. The Guides Association wrote a letter on March 14, 2011 that has still not received a response. It’s inexcusable.” C-WIN is the successor organization to Friends of Trinity River that closed earlier this year after the passing of Friends founder Byron Leydecker. … “
Continue reading from C-WIN by clicking here.
Sewage seep? Strained by casino and brewery, Blue Lake’s system scrutinized
Posted by: Maven on November 29, 2011 at 7:28 amFrom The Journal (Humboldt County):
“Its aging sewage treatment plant, built in the 1950s for a mostly residential town, is at risk of being seriously overworked by the effluent from newer, bigger users, including a casino and a brewery.
Even worse, that effluent burbles through a few treatment ponds that are uncomfortably close to the Mad River, a waterway already afflicted by logging, cattle grazing, gravel mining and other human foibles.
Water regulators want Blue Lake to follow a new, tougher set of rules — eventually. The state has been working for two years and still is months away from writing the draft permit that would spell out those new requirements. … “
Continue reading from The Journal by clicking here.
Tree project aids salmon in Yuba River
Posted by: Maven on November 29, 2011 at 6:23 amFrom the Appeal Democrat:
“Hundreds of new trees being planted along the Yuba River east of Marysville will benefit birds, insects, river lovers of the two-legged variety and a host of other species.
But the one animal that will see the most benefit will never spend any time in tree branches or even next to their trunks. Yet salmon is the reason for a project that’ll transform 5 acres on the river’s south side in the Yuba Goldfields.
“It’s creating habitat,” said Denise Della Santina, project manager for what’s called the Hammon Bar Riparian Enhancement Pilot Project. “It’s a loss of habitat that’s one of the biggest factors affecting salmon populations.” … “
Continue reading from the Appeal Democrat by clicking here.
Bay Point chemical waste pond cleanup nearing
Posted by: Maven on November 29, 2011 at 6:19 amFrom the Silicon Valley Mercury News:
“About a dozen residents will be hired early next year to help restore a 22-acre Bay Point pond polluted decades ago by a chemical plant as a wetland home to wildlife, officials said Monday.
Shell Pond sits a few hundred yards off Port Chicago Highway in the middle of about 900 acres of land Pacific Gas & Electric bought in the 1970s. An ammonia-manufacturing plant nearby had used the pond to store its waste, described by a project manager as “a dusty material like ground-up charcoal briquettes.”
Though it’s nontoxic, the material makes it impossible for plant life to grow there, said Tom Wilson, PG&E director of environmental remediation. … “
Continue reading from the Silicon Valley Mercury News by clicking here.
Press release: SFPUC rejects hearing on future of Yosemite’s Hetch Hetchy Valley
Posted by: Maven on November 29, 2011 at 6:18 amFrom Yahoo News, this press release by Restore Hetch Hetchy:
“In spite of solid evidence that utilizing Yosemite’s Hetch Hetchy Valley as a water storage facility is unnecessary, the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) has rejected a request by Restore Hetch Hetchy (RHH) to hold a public hearing on the feasibility and benefits of restoring the Hetch Hetchy Valley in Yosemite National Park. This, also, is in the face of poll results that indicate mounting support by San Francisco’s citizens for the restoration of the valley.
Currently, Hetch Hetchy Valley is one of nine locations used by the City of San Francisco to store water and it is the only reservoir located in a national park. … “
Continue reading this press release at Yahoo News by clicking here.
North S.J. water district working to straighten up financial records
Posted by: Maven on November 29, 2011 at 6:15 amFrom the Lodi News-Sentinel:
“Commencing the first meeting with a full board in several weeks, the North San Joaquin Water Conservation District set steps in motion to clean up its financial records and move forward on the Tracy Lake project.
A financial statement for the district covering July 1 to Nov. 28 was released at the meeting. The board and several community members were confused by some line items on the statement.
Under the utilities heading, for example, it was unclear which items referred to which pump, making it difficult for members of the board to understand how much running each pump was costing them. Also, it was unclear which items were included under the heading “Utilities-Other.” … “
Continue reading from the Lodi News-Sentinel by clicking here.
Water pollution traced to La Brea Tar Pits
Posted by: Maven on November 29, 2011 at 6:09 amFrom the Los Angeles Times:
“For years, residents living near Ballona Creek and environmentalists have complained of mysterious sheens of oil and grease in the western Los Angeles County waterway, often blaming industrial dumping, urban runoff or other man-made causes for the pollution.
One cause that apparently never crossed their minds: the La Brea Tar Pits.
It turns out the tourist attraction and preferred field trip destination of seemingly every grade schooler in the region has sent oily wastewater spilling into the highly polluted creek. … “
Continue reading from the Los Angeles Times by clicking here.
Column: Deluge of 1938 left a flood of memories of death, destruction and some fishy tales
Posted by: Maven on November 29, 2011 at 6:07 amFrom the Inland Daily Bulletin:
“Even the most imaginative fisherman would have trouble topping the fish tale of Mina Alexander, an Ontario resident in 1938.
Alexander, according to newspaper accounts, went out to check on her yard during a break in what was arguably the most damaging rains and flooding of the 20th century. About 12 inches of rain fell on the Inland Valley during the first few days of March that year.
In her back yard, she found a 9-inch fish – species undetermined – apparently washed out of the mountains and somehow deposited in a puddle on her Granada Court property.
She wasn’t alone. Pedestrians claimed they found perch swimming in gutters in a flooded downtown Los Angeles. This sort of thing launched a whole new opportunity for tall tales. … “
Continue reading this column from the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin by clicking here.
Mining foes want new studies at Grand Canyon
Posted by: Maven on November 29, 2011 at 6:05 amFrom Waterblogged:
“A coalition of advocacy groups and Indian tribes asked an appeals court Monday to overturn a lower court ruling that allowed a uranium mine near the Grand Canyon to re-open without new environmental studies.
The groups had sued the Bureau of Land Management in 2010 over its decision to let Denison Mines resume operations at a long-dormant uranium mine without updating a two-decade-old environmental impact statement. … “
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