In California water news today, Wild ride awaits for water issues under Trump; Heavy rains in Northern California threaten South Coast water stashed in San Luis Reservoir; Green vegetation, overflowing rivers and a deep snowpack: NASA satellite images show California drought over after record rainfall; Is a better river deal possible?; Assemblyman Fong leads bipartisan effort to pump more water from the Delta; Levee break in White Slough area; And lastly … Underwater art installation opens near the Catalina Coast
In the news today …
Wild ride awaits for water issues under Trump: “Donald Trump made some big campaign promises about water during his election campaign. Now that he has been elected president, those promises could dramatically shake up how water is managed in the arid West. In one of his few direct statements about water, Trump has said he wants to invest in treatment systems to prevent problems caused by aging distribution lines, citing as an example the drinking-water contamination in the Michigan city of Flint. To do this, he proposes to triple funding for a federal loan program, called the state revolving fund, from the current $2 billion to $6 billion. This could be a boon to local water and wastewater utilities struggling to pay for decaying infrastructure. … ” Read more from Water Deeply here: Wild ride awaits for water issues under Trump
Heavy rains in Northern California threaten South Coast water stashed in San Luis Reservoir: “It’s a scenario no one could have believed was likely, even two weeks ago. During one of the wettest seasons on record in Northern California, Santa Barbara County’s South Coast is at risk of losing a valuable supply of state aqueduct water it is storing in the San Luis Reservoir in the San Joaquin Valley. More even than the money, officials say, the loss of that water — a supply large enough to meet the needs of more than half the South Coast for a year — would be a significant blow. Lake Cachuma, once the main water source for the South Coast, has barely begun filling up from the recent rains. ... ” Continue reading from Noozhawk here: Heavy Rains in Northern California Threaten South Coast Water Stashed in San Luis Reservoir
Green vegetation, overflowing rivers and a deep snowpack: NASA satellite images show California drought over after record rainfall: “Stunning images from Space show the dramatic difference in California’s drought-stricken vegetation thanks to heavy rain pummeling the state during a storm last week, as more rain is predicted. Satellite color images released by NASA show the striking changes that have occurred from January 2014 to January 2017 in California, as there’s now a widespread and deep snowpack, greening vegetation, strong river discharge into the Pacific Ocean and rivers overflowing their banks. For the past five years, the entire state has suffered a severe and devastating drought, but now billions of gallons of water have been dumped on the state’s watersheds in Northern California thanks to a series of powerful rain and snowstorms that have occurred during this winter season, specifically last week. … ” Read more from the Daily Mail here: Green vegetation, overflowing rivers and a deep snowpack: NASA satellite images show California drought over after record rainfall
Is a better river deal possible? “Gov. Jerry Brown wants to see if an amicable solution can be reached when it comes to protecting endangered fish on the Stanislaus, Tuolumne and Merced rivers. The governor wants the State Water Resources Control Board to enter into settlement discussions on each of the respective watersheds. If alternatives to the state’s initial proposal to ramp up unimpaired flows to 40 percent between February and June can’t be reached, the water board could vote later this year on the plan as presented that the state concedes will have significant impacts on farming and the economy of the Northern San Joaquin Valley. … ” Read more from the Manteca Bulletin here: Is a better river deal possible?
Assemblyman Fong leads bipartisan effort to pump more water from the Delta: “Assemblyman Vince Fong led other California lawmakers Thursday in signing a bipartisan letter urging federal and state agencies to pump more water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley Delta. The letter also supports the decision by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, National Marine Fisheries Services and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to increase water exports from the Delta. In a statement, Fong said: “The recent storms affecting our state are a critical reminder of the importance of sound California water policy. We must continue to maximize pumping and also focus on our long-term water storage needs to save as much water for future use. … ” Read more from Assemblyman Fong leads bipartisan effort to pump more water from the Delta
Levee break in White Slough area: “A rural Delta levee failed over the weekend in the White Slough area northwest of Stockton, potentially flooding agricultural fields but apparently not threatening any buildings, officials said. The break happened sometime on Saturday. Michael Cockrell, head of the San Joaquin County Office of Emergency Services, said in an email Sunday that the breach threatened to flood fields planted with winter wheat. The city of Lodi’s wastewater treatment plant sits not far to the east, but the plant is protected by a stronger levee, Cockrell said. … ” Read more from the Stockton Record here: Levee break in White Slough area
And lastly … Underwater art installation opens near the Catalina Coast: “The artist Doug Aitken has a history of taking his audiences out of traditional museum or gallery spaces. His latest installation, a companion piece to his retrospective exhibition Electric Earth at MOCA, is a series of sculptures in the ocean called Underwater Pavilions. Viewing them involves a ferry ride to the island of Catalina, followed by a deep-sea dive. The installation is on the other side of town in the Casino Point Dive Park in front of the Catalina Casino, with its famed art deco ballroom. ... ” Read more from KQED here: Underwater art installation opens near the Catalina Coast
In commentary today …
Water infrastructure bill is a landmark moment for California, says Kathy Tiegs and Brent Hastey: They write, “On Dec. 16, President Barack Obama signed what probably is the most important federal water legislation in a quarter of a century – the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act – or WIIN. Make no mistake about it – this is a landmark moment in California water. Earlier in December, Congress overwhelmingly passed the bill, which provides California water managers a diverse package of tools to meet our state’s water needs while protecting the environment. The Association of California Water Agencies, which represents urban and agricultural water agencies in every part of the state, strongly supports this legislation for three reasons: It reflects a rare bipartisan agreement, it is comprehensive, and it works for the environment and the economy. ... ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee here: Water infrastructure bill is a landmark moment for California
This water grab will hurt every single one of us, says Alan Peterson: He writes, “Each of us depends on water from the rivers that flow through our region. Without that water, we live in a desert instead of the world’s most fertile valley. But our water goes deeper. Rivers and canals recharge our groundwater and reduce nitrates and salts that can collect in our soil, killing plants. I watched the State Water Resources Control Board members during their hearing in Merced on Dec. 19. Board members were just going through the motions, unwilling to genuinely listen to our community’s very real concerns. … ” Read more the Merced Sun Star here: This water grab will hurt every single one of us
Plenty more news and commentary in the weekend edition …
Precipitation watch …
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
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About the Daily Digest: The Daily Digest is a collection of selected news articles, commentaries and editorials appearing in the mainstream press. Items are generally selected to follow the focus of the Notebook blog. The Daily Digest is published every weekday with a weekend edition posting on Sundays.
