Valley Economy blog: Economic benefit-cost analysis vs. financial feasibility analysis: Clear definitions needed for BDCP discussions
Posted by: Maven on February 2, 2012 at 8:36 amFrom the Valley Economy blog:
“As an economist, it was painful to sit at the Delta Protection Commission meeting last week and listen to Jerry Meral’s five minute answer to a question about benefit-cost analysis and the BDCP. My understanding is that there have been similar exchanges at various meetings. The problem isn’t just his answer, the questions are often unclear, and even Allison Huber’s failed bill wasn’t very clear about the analysis she wanted the LAO to do.
To keep these conversations simple in the future, I recommend the question be phrased in the future as a simple yes/no question that relies on the Department of Water Resources’ Economic Analysis Guidebook for definition of the terms. It’s not the only source for this, but it is pretty good, and it should be acceptable to Dr. Meral and the Resources Agency since it is their guidebook. … “
Continue reading from the Valley Economy blog by clicking here.
California Water Wars blog: Grappling with the water bond
Posted by: Maven on February 2, 2012 at 8:20 amFrom the California Water Wars:
““Steinberg said it was conceivable that the bond could be reduced to $7 billion to $8 billion, but raised doubts about whether the proposal could be substantially rewritten. “All this needs to be backed up by policy and research,” he added.”
An $11 billion water bond facing voters on the November ballot likely will be rewritten, downsized or delayed two years – or even all three — to reflect political realities and a weak economy, says the leader of the Senate.
Confronting voters with a big borrowing package like the water bond – nearly as large in real dollars as the borrowing that financed the State Water Project more than 50 years ago — may not be prudent, given that Gov. Brown is pushing his tax initiative to raise $7 billion annually for schools and public safety over the next five years. … “
Continue reading from the California Water Wars blog by clicking here.
Dan Bacher: Commission to discuss striped bass eradication proposal
Posted by: Maven on February 2, 2012 at 8:17 amFrom Dan Bacher at IndyBay.org:
“Hundreds of anglers, conservationists and supporters of Delta fish restoration will be attending the Fish and Game Commission meeting in Sacramento on Thursday, February 2 at 8:30 a.m. to oppose the Department of Fish and Game’s striped bass eradication proposal. The meeting will held at the Resources Building in the First Floor Auditorium, 1416 Ninth Street, Sacramento.
The eradication proposal, the “request for the authorization to publish notice of the Commission intent to amend the striped bass regulations,” is number 9 on the agenda. There will be two special presentations, the first by the Department of Fish and Game and the second by the Allied Fishing Groups.
“Fishing regulations are supposed to be based on the best available science,” said John Beuttler, spokesman for the Allied Fishing Groups. “These regulations are not based on the best available science.” … “
Continue reading from Dan Bacher at IndyBay.org by clicking here.
Proposal will ensure better future for California forests, says Vilsack
Posted by: Maven on February 2, 2012 at 8:15 amFrom the Sacramento Bee, this commentary by Tom Vilsack, Secretary of the Department of Agriculture:
“America’s forests are one of our nation’s great treasures. Not only are they wonderful places to be outside with friends and family, they provide us with much of the water we drink, clean the air we breathe, provide habitat for wildlife, and support jobs and growth in rural communities.
Healthy forests are critical to President Barack Obama’s vision for an economy that’s built to last. More than 173 million visitors come to national forests and grasslands every year to hike, bike, view wildlife, go hunting, fishing and rafting and enjoy being in the great outdoors. This generates billions of dollars and supports hundreds of thousands of middle-class jobs for local communities. Forests and grasslands also support good jobs related to timber and forest products, energy and other multiple uses of our public lands. … “
Continue reading this commentary at the Sacramento Bee by clicking here.
EPA beach pollution rules allow 1 in 28 to get sick
Posted by: Maven on February 2, 2012 at 8:09 am
From the Los Angeles Times:
“Proposed new beach pollution regulations from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, meant to protect public health, instead would continue to allow lots of people to get sick, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council, or NRDC.
The EPA proposal, released in December, would allow 1 in 28 beachgoers to experience some gastrointestinal illness after swimming, rather than the 8 in 1,000 that were previously acknowledged. It’s mostly a tale of numbers, but the NRDC is trying to force the EPA to better the odds.
The EPA is under a federal consent decree to update the standards by October 2012. The current proposal is open for public comment until Feb. 21. … “
Continue reading from the Los Angeles Times by clicking here.
Restored wetlands no match for real thing
Posted by: Maven on February 2, 2012 at 8:08 amFrom the Los Angeles Times:
“How easy is it to recreate nature? When it comes to wetlands, the answer seems to be “not very.”
A new paper examining data from more than 600 restored or man-made wetlands found that in key ways, they don’t measure up to the real thing.
Wetlands perform vital ecosystem functions. They act as fish nurseries, control erosion, clean up water, store carbon, and provide wildlife habitat. But they have been filled, drained and paved over at a steady pace, prompting efforts to restore them in California and across the nation. … “
Continue reading from the Los Angeles Times by clicking here.
Press release: Government delay, drought prompts renewed push for protection of Klamath River chinook salmon
Posted by: Maven on February 2, 2012 at 8:01 amFrom the Center for Biological Diversity, this press release:
“Conservation groups filed a formal notice of intent to sue the National Marine Fisheries Service today for failing to decide, as legally required, whether upper Klamath River chinook salmon deserve protection under the federal Endangered Species Act. In response to a January 28, 2011 petition from the groups, the Fisheries Service determined in April 2011 that the salmon may warrant protection and began a status review that was supposed to be completed within one year of the petition. The petition review comes at a perilous time for Klamath salmon as fears of a major drought linger.
“Klamath River chinook have suffered severe declines in the face of a century of dam building, logging, hatcheries, massive water withdrawal and pollution,” said Noah Greenwald, endangered species director at the Center for Biological Diversity. “These magnificent fish need Endangered Species Act protection if they’re going to have any chance at survival and recovery. We very much hope protection will be provided in the next 60 days so we won’t have to file suit.” … “
Continue reading from the Center for Biological Diversity by clicking here.
Sacramento Bee editorial: Bill comes due for decades of neglect
Posted by: Maven on February 2, 2012 at 7:58 amFrom the Sacramento Bee, this editorial:
“With aging pipes and stricter environmental rules, the bill is coming due for decades of neglect of the city of Sacramento’s water and sewer system. To its credit, the Utilities Rate Advisory Commission is trying to ease the pain for homeowners and businesses.
The panel of seven citizens appointed by the mayor has refused to rubber-stamp the city Utilities Department’s plan to raise water and sewer rates each year for the next three years.
Instead, the advisory commission is headed toward voting this evening for a revised proposal calling for more affordability and accountability. The City Council ought to carefully consider the recommendation when it takes up the debate, starting either Feb. 21 or Feb. 28. … “
Continue reading this editorial from the Sacramento Bee by clicking here.
Ag-business group alleges Monterey County water agency used ‘creative accounting’
Posted by: Maven on February 2, 2012 at 7:56 amFrom the Monterey County Herald:
“An agri-business organization has accused the county Water Resources Agency of engaging in “creative accounting” in connection with its spending on the failed regional desalination project.
In a letter to the Board of Supervisors last week, the Salinas Valley Water Coalition raised a number of questions about the water agency’s use of public funds intended for other purposes to pay for project expenses.
According to the letter, signed by coalition President Nancy Isakson, the agency appeared to borrow money from various funds, including tax proceeds from its Salinas Valley Water Project account, “without proper authorization or transparency.” It used the funds to pay the up-front costs of the desal project, then identified them as overhead, the letter said. … “
Continue reading from the Monterey County Herald by clicking here.
Merced Irrigation District has wells ready amid record dry winter
Posted by: Maven on February 2, 2012 at 7:54 amFrom the Merced Sun-Star:
“While a handful of regional water districts have approved early irrigation seasons, the Merced Irrigation District Board continues to rely on groundwater pumping to help farmers through the dry winter months.
Not all irrigation districts have the luxury of pumping large amounts of groundwater, said Hicham Eltal, Merced Irrigation District’s deputy general manger of water resources. “The difference is that MID owns a network of groundwater wells. We can provide sufficient water at a moment’s notice. If there’s a demand, we turn on the wells.”
The only catch: groundwater provided by MID during the winter is expensive. … “
Continue reading from the Merced Sun-Star by clicking here.
Merced: Companies deny groundwater is tainted with fuel additive MTBE
Posted by: Maven on February 2, 2012 at 7:48 amFrom the Merced Sun-Star:
“A lengthy chemical contamination trial pitting the city of Merced against several major oil companies appears to be entering its final chapter.
Merced city officials have accused Exxon Mobil Corp., Shell Oil Co. and Chevron Corp. of contaminating groundwater at several sites with methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE), a gasoline additive. Attorneys for the oil companies deny the accusations.
Both sides gave closing arguments Tuesday and Wednesday, after more than three months of testimony at Merced County Superior Court in Judge Carol Ash’s courtroom. … “
Continue reading from the Merced Sun-Star by clicking here.
LA DWP customers might get water bill hike
Posted by: Maven on February 2, 2012 at 7:35 amFrom the Los Angeles Daily News:
“Los Angeles residents could begin paying more for water next month, with the City Council’s preliminary approval Wednesday of an “emergency” increase requested by DWP.
The rate hike will see the average family’s monthly water charges go up about $1.71, or $3.42 per bimonthly bill from the Department of Water and Power, which says it needs the money to pay for federally and state-mandated drinking water quality improvement projects.
If affirmed by a second council vote next week, the increase will appear on bills beginning in March and April. … “
Continue reading from the Los Angeles Daily News by clicking here.
Southern California Water Committee adopts 2012 policy guidelines
Posted by: Maven on February 2, 2012 at 7:34 amFrom the Southern California Water Committee, this press release:
“The Southern California Water Committee (SCWC) released the organization’s 2012 Policy Guidelines today. The guidelines will serve as the basis for SCWC legislative priorities for the year and will guide both outreach and education efforts. Issues related to the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, such as the Bay Delta Conservation Plan, water use efficiency efforts such as stormwater capture programs and support of science-based water quality regulations are among the key policy areas for SCWC.
“Delta issues are at a pivotal point, we’re facing ongoing regulatory issues on water quality and energy, and we are working hard to support programs that ensure we make the most of our local water supplies,” said Larry McKenney, chairman of SCWC’s Legislative Task Force. “With the help of our members, SCWC is looking forward to a very busy and successful 2012.”
Continue reading “Southern California Water Committee adopts 2012 policy guidelines” »
Azusa seeking remedy for sludge problem at water treatment plant
Posted by: Maven on February 2, 2012 at 7:32 amFrom the San Gabriel Valley Tribune:
“Azusa is one of the few cities in the San Gabriel Valley that is fortunate enough to have its own water supply. The city simply taps into the San Gabriel River as it comes pouring down the mountains.
To take advantage of all that water, the city in 2009 built a high-tech filtration plant in the mouth of the canyon. … “
Continue reading from the San Gabriel Valley Tribune by clicking here.
Inland water agencies are prepared for a dry year: Agencies in Riverside and San Bernardino counties took advantage of heavy runoff last winter and recharged local groundwater basins
Posted by: Maven on February 2, 2012 at 7:30 amFrom the Highland Community News, this commentary by Douglas Headrick of the San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District:
“As recently as October, weather forecasters were predicting that California ski resorts would have another wet winter, potentially matching last winter’s record snowfall.
Unfortunately, the anticipated wet winter hasn’t materialized. And if the current dry weather pattern persists, we could actually wind up with one of the driest winters on record.
But while the continuing dry spell is worrisome, inland Southern California water agencies are well prepared for a dry spell because they stored a record amount of water underground last year – about 78,000 acre feet. That’s enough water to sustain 300,000 people for a year. … “
Continue reading from the Highland Community News by clicking here.
San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water is now banking water in the southern San Joaquin Valley
Posted by: Maven on February 2, 2012 at 7:27 amFrom the Highland Community News:
“San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water is expanding its water banking capabilities by storing 30,000 acre-feet of water in the southern San Joaquin Valley that can be delivered to the valley in times of drought.
“This is to insulate us so we don’t have to pay exorbitant prices for water on the spot market in dry years,” said Douglas Headrick, general manager of the San Bernardino-based water contractor, which supplies State Water Project water from Northern California to more than a dozen agencies in western San Bernardino County.
Headrick said water stored through an arrangement with Kern Delta Water District in Bakersfield will cost about $200 more per acre-foot than the $600 Valley District already pays for State Water Project water. But he said the investment will be well worth it in the long run, particularly when California faces its next drought. … “
Continue reading from the Highland Community News by clicking here.
Perris: Residents take next step toward sewer hook-ups
Posted by: Maven on February 2, 2012 at 7:18 amFrom the Riverside Press-Enterprise:
“About 70 property owners and residents turned out Monday for an Eastern Municipal Water District workshop where they could sign documents allowing district employees to enter their property to disable existing septic tanks and hook their homes up to the sewer in the street.
The workshop was at Enchanted Hills Elementary School in Perris.
Eastern board member Ron Sullivan welcomed the crowd, while engineer Armando Arroyo gave presentations in English and Spanish. … “
Continue reading from the Riverside Press-Enterprise by clicking here.
Environmental Defense Fund submits proposal to protect Colorado River flow, ecosystems, western economy
Posted by: Maven on February 2, 2012 at 7:16 amFrom the Environmental Defense Fund, this press release:
“The Bureau of Reclamation today received a proposed set of common-sense solutions to solve the imbalance between supply and demand for water in the Colorado River Basin, where the Bureau projects river flow will decrease by an average of about nine percent over the next 50 years due to climate change. The proposal by Environmental Defense Fund — which includes ideas by other conservation groups and stakeholders — was in response to today’s deadline for public input of “options and strategies” for a study to define and solve future imbalances in water supply and demand in the basin through 2060.
“Our proposed solutions don’t include expensive new infrastructure and diversions that threaten the health of the Colorado River and the recreation and tourism economy of the region,” said Dan Grossman, Rocky Mountain regional director for Environmental Defense Fund and a former vice chairman of the Agriculture, Natural Resources and Energy Committee in the Colorado Senate. “Instead, we are focusing on common-sense ideas — including water banks, water re-use and municipal and agricultural efficiency — to solve the imbalance between supply and demand, while protecting the healthy flows of the river.” … “
Continue reading from the Environmental Defense Fund by clicking here.
This just in … Second 2012 snow survey shows continuing dry conditions
Posted by: Maven on February 1, 2012 at 2:40 pm
From the Department of Water Resources:
“Snow surveyors today confirmed that water content in California’s mountain snowpack is far below normal for this time of year.
Manual and electronic readings record the snowpack’s statewide water content at only 37 percent of normal for the date. That is just 23 percent of the average April 1 reading, when the snowpack normally is at its peak before the spring melt.
“So far, we just haven’t received a decent number of winter storms,” said DWR Director Mark Cowin. “We have good reservoir storage thanks to wet conditions last year, but we also need more rain and snow this winter.”
Results of today’s manual readings by the Department of Water Resources (DWR) off Highway 50 near Echo Summit are as follows:
Location Elevation
Snow Depth
Water Content
% of Long Term Average
Alpha 7,600 feet
14.8 inches
3.6 inches
17
Phillips Station 6,800 feet
15.6 inches
3.8 inches
19
Lyons Creek 6,700 feet
21.8 inches
5.8 inches
30
Tamarack Flat 6,500 feet
15.2 inches
4.8 inches
25
Continue reading “This just in … Second 2012 snow survey shows continuing dry conditions” »
Wednesday’s top of the scroll: Water project advocate frets delay in bond measure
Posted by: Maven on February 1, 2012 at 8:11 amThe Department of Water Resources will be surveying the snowpack today; those results will be posted here later today. Meanwhile, here is this from Capital Press:
“Gov. Jerry Brown’s recent hint that he’d consider delaying an $11.1 billion water bond set for the November ballot didn’t particularly please a leading proponent of plans to fix California’s water system.
The governor indicated last month that a massive overhaul of the system could begin without the bond passing this year, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. Leaving it off this time could give his $35 billion tax increase package a better chance of passing, the newspaper noted.
The water bond, which would pay for a wide variety of water management, conservation and storage projects, was approved by the Legislature in 2009 and has already been delayed once.
Timothy Quinn, executive director of the Association of California Water Agencies, said he understands the governor’s point of view but he would prefer to see some sort of funding measure go to voters this year. … “
Continue reading from the Capital Press by clicking here.
Draft flood plan includes some farmland losses
Posted by: Maven on February 1, 2012 at 8:00 amFrom the California Farm Bureau Federation:
“A new plan for managing flood risk in the Central Valley was unveiled last week in Sacramento. Officials said implementing the plan once it’s finalized could cost between $14 billion to $17 billion, invested during a 20- to 25-year period.
In the process, about 40,000 acres of farmland, primarily in the Sacramento Valley, would be used to create new “flood space” or system flow capacity. The increased capacity would come from new setback levees and bypass expansions.
The draft flood plan indicates that about 10,000 acres of flood space would become permanent habitat. According to the draft plan, the remaining 30,000 acres would remain farmable, subject to flood easements and seasonal flooding, similar to farming in the existing bypasses today. … “
Continue reading from the California Farm Bureau Federation by clicking here.
Reclaimed wastewater for drinking: Safe but still a tough sell
Posted by: Maven on February 1, 2012 at 7:56 amFrom National Geographic:
“Water filtration technology has advanced to the point where wastewater can be rendered safe for drinking, according to a new report, but legislative and psychological hurdles will need to be overcome before widespread adoption can happen.
“Expanding water reuse could significantly increase the nation’s water resource, particularly in coastal communities,” said Rhodes Trussell, president of Trussell Technologies in Pasadena, California, and chair of the committee that wrote the report.
Treated wastewater, also known as reclaimed water, is commonly used for irrigation and industry. And many towns already rely on reused water simply because they draw water downstream from other municipalities’ wastewater release pipes.
“De facto reuse takes place throughout the country,” Trussell said. … “
Continue reading from National Geographic by clicking here.
Drought is in the eye of the beholder
Posted by: Maven on February 1, 2012 at 7:50 amFrom KQED’s Climate Watch:
“As state surveyors trudge into the mountains this week for the season’s second official survey of the Sierra snowpack, the auspices aren’t good. Remote sensors currently show that statewide, water content is averaging just 38% of the average for this date, and less than a quarter of what water managers would hope to see on April first — just two months away.
Consequently, the “D-word” is being nervously bandied about. Are we in a drought?
The state’s newly revamped Current Water Conditions website takes on the question with a definitive “Yes and no.” Drought status, it says “can be very different depending on your location.” … “
Continue reading from KQED’s Climate Watch by clicking here.
Coastal California to see cooler temperatures through spring
Posted by: Maven on February 1, 2012 at 7:47 amFrom California Watch:
“It’s pretty well established that the earth is warming up. Researchers and government agencies have the numbers to show it, and they have plenty of graphs and charts to document the trend.
Now, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration has just released an updated animation that allows viewers to understand those numbers more intuitively.
The animated video, which shows a map of the planet, documents global changes in temperature between 1880, when a wide enough network of weather stations was available to record temperatures on a global scale, and 2011.
And while the trend toward higher temperatures is apparent, there are parts of the globe that vary from year to year, with colder-than-normal or average temperatures. … “
Continue reading from California Watch by clicking here.
Delta Stewardship Council: The new Sherman’s March, says commentary
Posted by: Maven on February 1, 2012 at 7:44 amFrom the Manteca Bulletin, this commentary by managing editor, Dennis Wyatt:
““The Delta Stewardship Council is the Coastal Commission on steroids.” – Assemblyman Bill Berryhill
The natives, as they say, are getting restless.
And it is all due to a growing uneasiness about a mutant super-strain of government that the California Legislature created because they lack the ability, desire, and temperament to address issues of how 70 percent of the state’s water supply passes through the Delta and where it will end up.
The Delta Stewardship Council (DSC) was established as an autonomous form of overlay government much like the California Coastal Commission and the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency. The DSC is mandated by the California Legislature to reach goals that are described as “co-equal.” It supposedly will balance protecting, restoring, and enhancing the Delta ecosystem with the pressing need to establish a manageable and reliable water supply for California.
It sounds enticing until you realize the DSC was given broad guidelines to devise its governance plan. … “
Continue reading this commentary at the Manteca Bulletin by clicking here.
California Spigot blog: California Delta as a National Heritage Area could help save its people
Posted by: Maven on February 1, 2012 at 7:38 amFrom the California Spigot blog:
“Many people have their eyes fixed on the Delta’s natural resources: its water, its imperiled fish and the 750 or so species that live there or use it seasonally, like sandhill cranes. But there is another species that has lived in the Delta for 10,000 years. That would be human beings, and they also are imperiled.
Some 2,500 souls live in the Delta today, mostly farming families. Many have been there for generations, living in a time and place that seems from another era. Freeways stop at the borders of the Delta. So do gas stations. Main thoroughfares from the Bay Area to Stockton and Sacramento route drivers around the territory, not through it.
The area opens a window on California history, which is immediately apparent to anyone who drives over the Antioch Bridge onto highway 160 toward Sacramento. Soaring off the urban rim and onto the first island, the driver is hit first by a sweeping view of the Delta and then by a sense of being suddenly transported into the past. Yellow drawbridges, occasional tiny towns, narrow levee roads and green acres recall the 1950s, but in fact, the history is much older. … “
Continue reading from the California Spigot blog by clicking here.
L.A.’s wasteful sprinklers: The profligate horror of urban lawn irrigation is on full display in the wee hours of the morning
Posted by: Maven on February 1, 2012 at 7:34 amFrom the Los Angeles Times, this commentary by Los Angeles attorney Howard Posner:
“It’s raining. It’s pouring. Or at least it was at 4 in the morning a couple of Saturdays ago. And though no old men were snoring in my vicinity, some sprinklers were watering lawns, rain or no rain. It was waste in its purest form because during and after a downpour the water runs right off the saturated soil into the street.
Turning curbs into waterfalls is a side effect of technology that lets us run sprinklers on timers that we set and forget. In theory, they allow watering at optimal but inconvenient times, such as early morning, when cooler air minimizes evaporation. In practice, timers mean homeowners have no idea what their sprinklers are doing because they don’t see them sprinkling. … “
Continue reading from the Los Angeles Times by clicking here.
Southern California Water Committee: Californians largely unaware of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta
Posted by: Maven on February 1, 2012 at 7:26 amFrom the Southern California Water Committee:
“The majority of Californians have never heard of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (Delta), according to poll results released by California public opinion research firm Probolsky Research at the Southern California Water Committee’s January 27 Quarterly Meeting.
While the Delta is the core of California’s water delivery system, as well as a key environmental resource, 78 percent of respondents in the statewide survey said they do not know what the Delta is. The survey results underscore the significant need to educate Californians throughout the state about the Delta.Key findings from the survey showed:
Statewide 78 percent said they did not know what the Delta is.
- 86 percent of Southern Californians did not know about the Delta.
- Nearly 70 percent of respondents outside of Southern California did not know about the Delta. … “
Continue reading from the Southern California Water Committee by clicking here.
NASA’s GCPEX mission: What we don’t know about snow
Posted by: Maven on February 1, 2012 at 7:20 am
From PhysOrg.com:
“In the last ten years, scientists have shown that it is possible to detect falling snow and measure surface snowpack information from the vantage point of space. But there remains much that is unknown about the fluffy white stuff.
“We’re still figuring out how to measure snow from space,” says Gail Skofronick-Jackson, a specialist in the remote sensing of snow at NASA’s Goddard Space Fight Center, Greenbelt, Md. “We’re where we were with measuring rain 40 years ago.”
Skofronick-Jackson is part of a team of scientists from NASA and Environment Canada who are running a large experiment in Southern Ontario to improve snow detection. Their GPM Cold-season Precipitation Experiment (GCPEx) supports the new Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission whose Core satellite is scheduled to launch in 2014. … “
Continue reading from PhysOrg.com by clicking here.
Conservationists concerned over coho recovery plan; fisheries service emphasizes that plan is not final
Posted by: Maven on February 1, 2012 at 7:13 amFrom the Eureka Times-Standard:
“Watershed groups and other conservationists expressed concern Tuesday night with terms used to rank salmon population areas in the a long-awaited draft recovery plan in fear it would reduce efforts for populations not listed as a “priority.”
National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration’ fish biologist Julie Weeder, the recovery coordinator, said the terminology was not meant to reduce any efforts, but the feedback was exactly the type of information the National Marine Fisheries Service was looking for. She said the agency is required to create the plan, a set of guidelines for the recovery of coho salmon in Southern Oregon and Northern California, but the implementation is voluntary. The coho salmon was listed under the Endangered Species Act in 1997 after habitat degradation, harvest and water diversion, drought, floods and poor ocean conditions led to its depletion. … “
Continue reading from the Eureka Times-Standard by clicking here.
Corps of Engineers completes Yolo Bypass levee repairs
Posted by: Maven on February 1, 2012 at 7:09 am
From the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers:
“West Sacramento levees are no longer sinking as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Sacramento District wraps up repairs on nearly a mile of levees near the Yolo Bypass.
The repairs are part of the Corps’ West Sacramento Project, a joint effort with the West Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency and the Central Valley Flood Protection Board to improve the levees surrounding West Sacramento.
Signs of slumping, or sinking, became increasingly evident since high water saturated the levees in 2006. … “
Continue reading from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers by clicking here.
Photo by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Salting by the dock of the bay: Monterey Bay Salt Co. taps hidden culinary treasure
Posted by: Maven on February 1, 2012 at 7:06 amFrom the Santa Cruz Sentinel:
“Like many good stories, it began with a dare. “It was kind of a ha-ha’ bet,” Bob Kirkland said.
After a day of surfing in the Monterey Bay a few years ago, Kirkland and some friends emerged from the water, salt sticking to their wetsuits. “I bet you can’t do anything with that,” a friend said to him, pointing to the white crystals.
Kirkland, who lives in Monterey, went home that night and serendipitously tuned in to a Food Network show that featured a man from Maine who harvested his own sea salt.
“It was, I guess, meant to be,” he said…. “
Continue reading from the Santa Cruz Sentinel by clicking here.
L.A. appoints consumer advocate to review DWP rate hike plans
Posted by: Maven on February 1, 2012 at 7:04 amFrom the Los Angeles Times:
“After nearly a year of delays, the Los Angeles City Council has appointed an independent representative to scrutinize proposed hikes in water and electricity bills.
Frederick Pickel, a 59-year-old energy consultant, was unanimously voted in as the city’s first ratepayer advocate, a position created by voters early last year amid concern over rising utility costs. His annual salary will be $236,758.
The public now has “somebody on our side” when the Department of Water and Power asks for rate increases, Councilman Eric Garcetti said before the vote. … “
Continue reading from the Los Angeles Times by clicking here.
Lake Elsinore: Water board member honored for service
Posted by: Maven on February 1, 2012 at 7:03 amFrom the Riverside Press-Enterprise:
“Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District board member Ben Wicke has been honored for serving as chairman of the Association of California Water Agencies Region 9 Board of Directors for 2010 and 2011.
He also served as its vice chairman for 2008 and 2009, which completed more than a decade of service on the Region 9 board. The region includes all water agencies from San Bernardino, Riverside and Imperial counties. He received the award Thursday. … “
Continue reading from the Riverside Press-Enterprise by clicking here.
Santa Margarita Water District rejects copper pipe leaks claim
Posted by: Maven on February 1, 2012 at 7:01 amFrom the O.C. Register:
“Santa Margarita Water District officials have rejected a claim by Standard Pacific Corp. that alleges water provided by the district is causing pinhole leaks in copper piping in homes in San Clemente and Ladera Ranch.
The claim states Standard Pacific received complaints from homeowners about the leaks and associated property damage. The claim lists 76 homes in the two communities where the leaks have been reported and tallies cumulative repair costs of more than $365,800. In one home in the Talega community of San Clemente, repair costs totaled $41,746, according to the claim, which also notes Standard Pacific expects the complaints to continue and costs to rise. … “
Continue reading from the O.C. Register by clicking here.
Barstow partners with other cities to fight water rate increases
Posted by: Maven on February 1, 2012 at 6:28 amFrom the Desert Dispatch:
“The City of Barstow has joined forces with four California cities to oppose the more than 25 percent water rate increase proposed by Barstow’s primary water service.
Golden State Water Company filed an application last year requesting the California Public Utilities Commission approve raising service rates for Region 3 customers, including Barstow, from 2013 through 2015. The CPUC granted Golden State a similar increase just years ago, resulting in some Barstow customers paying significantly higher water bills. … “
Continue reading from the Desert Dispatch by clicking here.
Tuesday’s top of the scroll: Where did winter go? Snow survey tomorrow; Dry weather to continue
Posted by: Maven on January 31, 2012 at 8:32 amFrom the Fresno Bee:
“State water officials say recent storms have not made up for this year’s dry winter, leaving California’s snowpack at below average levels.
The Sierra Nevada snowpack is a key source of California’s water supply. Officials said Monday that snowpack water content was just 38 percent of average, compared to the 19 percent they measured in early January. … “
Continue reading from the Fresno Bee by clicking here.
The Department of Water Resources will be doing their monthly snow survey tomorrow, and had this to say about conditions in the press release:
” … Electronic readings today indicate that water content in the statewide snowpack is just 38 percent of normal. That is 23 percent of the average April 1 reading, when the snowpack is normally at its peak before the spring melt. Still, this is an improvement over results of this winter’s January 3 survey, which recorded snowpack water content at 19 percent of normal for that date, and only 7 percent of the average April 1 reading. “Conditions so far this winter continue to be much drier than we would like,” said DWR Director Mark Cowin. “We are fortunate that most of the state continues to benefit from good reservoir storage carried over from last winter, and we remain optimistic for a return to a normal weather pattern between now and spring to sustain adequate water deliveries.”
Lake Oroville in Butte County, the State Water Project’s principal storage reservoir, is at 107 percent of average for the date (72 percent of its 3.5 million acre-foot capacity), Lake Shasta north of Redding, the federal Central Valley Project’s largest reservoir with a capacity of 4.5 million acre-feet, is at 100 percent of its normal storage level for the date (68 percent of capacity). San Luis Reservoir in Merced County, an important storage reservoir south of the Delta, is at 121 percent of average for the date (96 percent of its capacity of 2,027,840 acre-feet). San Luis is a critically important source of water for both the State Water Project and Central Valley Project when pumping from the Delta is restricted or interrupted. … “
Read the full text of the press release from DWR by clicking here.
Expect the dry weather to continue, says the Accu-Weather Western Weather Blog:
“Another prolonged period of tranquil weather is coming up that will bring little precipitation to the Northwest and no precipitation for the much of the far Southwest including California. This nauseating pattern for California Resort operators and ski enthusiast just continues on and on. Of course there is skiing to be had, it just not nearly what it normally is like this time of year.
While there are some small differences in the models on the particulars the screaming message is the same from Washington State to California and Arizona. Below to much below normal precipitation for at least the next 10-days. The main difference in the models today is how they handle a digging trough mid to late week in the eastern Rockies out into the Plains. The GFS solution, the farther west solution, is probably not the most favored. This will have an impact on how much snow may fall in Colorado and northern New Mexico. … “
More from the Accu-Weather Western Weather Blog by clicking here.
California citrus growers grapple with water issues
Posted by: Maven on January 31, 2012 at 8:12 amFrom The Packer:
“California citrus growers are not dealing with the drought conditions that have hit South Texas, but they have been dealing ever-tightening restrictions on water use.
“It’s becoming more onerous, in terms of water availability,” said Andrew Brown, a grower and director with the Exeter-based California Citrus Mutual. “We’ve been more fortunate here on the east side of the valley, where most of the citrus belt is served by the Central Valley Project.”
Brown said a lot of regulatory involvement is unnecessary.
“There’s some groundwater regulations on the horizon that are going to be very onerous for all growers,” Brown said. … “
Continue reading from The Packer by clicking here.
When fish and frost protection collide: Water for frost protection under scrutiny due to endangered species in Russian River, extra layer of regulations for grape growers
Posted by: Maven on January 31, 2012 at 8:09 amFrom WineBusiness.com:
“Many grape growers throughout the country must be prepared to battle the threat of frost: Killing freezes in early spring often coincide with bud break, and a few nights of sub-freezing temperatures, without the benefit of frost protection, can devastate a crop.
There are numerous techniques and types of equipment for growers to protect their vines and young buds from frost (see Frost Protection—Managing the Air, by Bill Pregler, WBM January 2010). A variety of considerations, including cost, site selection, drainage and passive or active protection, come into play. For grape growers in frost-prone regions, such as Northern California, the most common active frost protection techniques are overhead sprinklers or wind machines.
Grape growers in the Russian River watershed, however, find themselves in a unique predicament: Not only do they have to remain on the alert for frost, but they now have to cope with a complicated and expensive set of regulations governing their water use during frost events. Many growers use overhead sprinklers to protect their vines when temperatures dip below freezing.
In Oregon, Washington, Texas and New York, growers utilize water for frost protection to varying degrees; but in interviews with numerous growers, regulators and academics, there does not appear to be an analogous situation to the one growers face in the Russian River basin: The conflict between competing demands for water during frost events and the protection of species guaranteed by the Endangered Species Act. “This is the one and only to my knowledge,” said Rhonda Smith, the viticulture farm advisor with the University of California Cooperative Extension in Sonoma County. “To my knowledge, there have not been any regulations in the state specific to endangered species and the use of water for frost protection and agriculture.” … “
Continue reading part 1 from WineBusiness.com by clicking here. Then, click here to read part 2.
A watered-down bond for water system improvements?
Posted by: Maven on January 31, 2012 at 8:05 amFrom KQED’s Climate Watch:
““There are two subjects water people least want to talk about: politics and money,” said the former head of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, David Nahai. He was speaking at the “Future of Water in Southern California” conference on a dry and windy Friday, here in the City of Angels. And those two were the uncomfortable topics State Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento) talked about in his lunch hour keynote. … “
Continue reading from KQED’s Climate Watch by clicking here.
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