DAILY DIGEST: Where have all the salmon gone? State Committee discusses the impact of low runs; Oroville Dam spillway bottom being demolished for replacement; How one water agency thrived during the drought; and more …

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DAILY DIGEST
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In California water news today, Where have all the salmon gone? State Committee discusses the impact of low runs; Oroville Dam spillway bottom being demolished for replacement; Reconstruction begins at Oroville.  Will it be different this time?; Column: Duarte hopes Trump’s order will ease harrowing experience against feds in court; How one water agency thrived during California’s drought; Governor Brown optimistic on climate change, Trump; California takes many hits, big and small, in Trump’s 2018 budget proposal; and more …

On the calendar today …

In the news today …

Also on Maven’s Notebook today …

Where have all the salmon gone? State Committee discusses the impact of low runs:  “Already faced with unprecedented low numbers of returning salmon and drastically reduced fishing allowances, California’s fishing fleets and communities are not expected to find any relief in the next few years, according to testimony by a host of experts and regulators at the State Capitol on Wednesday.  “Things are going to get worse before they get better,” Pacific Fishery Management Councilwoman Marci Yaremko said at the California Joint Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture hearing at the State Capitol on Wednesday. … ”  Read more from the Eureka Times-Standard here:  Where have all the salmon gone? State Committee discusses the impact of low runs

Oroville Dam spillway bottom being demolished for replacement:  “The emergency is over, the construction now begins.  Demolitions are going to increase, the bottom of the broken spillway will be taken out, two concrete-creating factories are being built and new concrete will be laid beginning in mid-June.  The Department of Water Resources gave an update Wednesday in a media conference call on the construction phase at the spillway that began May 13 when the emergency officially ended. ... ”  Read more from the Oroville Mercury-Register here:  Oroville Dam spillway bottom being demolished for replacement

Reconstruction begins at Oroville.  Will it be different this time?  “The reconstruction of Oroville Dam’s flood-control spillways is underway, and California officials vow the structures will become stronger and safer than ever.  More than three months after a near disaster forced the emergency evacuation of thousands of downstream residents, California officials announced Wednesday that permanent repairs have begun on the two spillways.  “This week symbolizes a huge, important and positive step,” said Bill Croyle, acting director of the state Department of Water Resources. … ” Read it here:  Reconstruction begins at Oroville.  Will it be different this time?

Column: Duarte hopes Trump’s order will ease harrowing experience against feds in court:  Jeff Jardine writes, “When President Trump signed an executive order in February to review President Obama’s “Waters of the United States” rule, Hughson farmer John Duarte finally felt like the government’s case against him could be, well, plowed under.  I wrote about Duarte in January 2016 as his legal fight with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers intensified and headed into federal court. But the feds won that round. A judge in June 2016 sided with the Army Corps, and now the case will proceed to the penalty phase in August. The government wants Duarte to pay $2.8 million in fines and up to $32 million in wetlands mitigation. ... ”  Read more from the Modesto Bee here:  Column: Duarte hopes Trump’s order will ease harrowing experience against feds in court

How one water agency thrived during California’s drought:  “Now that California has come through the worst of its recent five-year drought, it’s time to take stock of what went wrong and right. Moulton Niguel Water District, which serves 170,000 people in Orange County with water, wastewater and recycled water services, insists it didn’t just survive the drought, but thrived.  The district saw per capita water use fall and saw an improvement in the water efficiency of its customers. Moulton Niguel changed its outreach strategy to use more electronic communication with customers and is now piloting a program that allows customers to monitor their usage through a mobile app. … ”  Read more from Water Deeply here:  How one water agency thrived during California’s drought

Governor Brown optimistic on climate change, Trump:  “Gov. Jerry Brown was optimistic about the state of climate change policy at a San Francisco conference on Wednesday, saying he was glad to see President Trump meet with Pope Francis this week.  Pope Francis has been outspoken about the issue of climate change, and gave Trump his nearly 200-page encyclical on the issue at their Vatican meeting.  “It’s very good that the pope met with President Trump and very good that President Trump met with him. … Don’t underestimate the power of the Holy Father. I think that has effect,” Brown told reporters before speaking to a group of Dutch and Californian public workers and business leaders. … ”  Read more from KQED here:  Governor Brown optimistic on climate change, Trump

California takes many hits, big and small, in Trump’s 2018 budget proposal: “California loses big time in President Donald Trump’s proposed fiscal 2018 budget, made public to scathing political reviews Tuesday.  Some Central Valley farm spending would fall. Nutrition programs would shrink. Certain school grants would be handcuffed, University of California research would be curtailed and reimbursements ended for the state’s incarceration of law-breaking unauthorized immigrants.  While slashing social safety nets, Trump wants a 10 percent increase in military spending and $1.6 billion in funding for a wall on the border with Mexico – a small amount for a massive project estimated to cost between $22 billion and nearly $70 billion to construct. … ”  Read more from the Sacramento Bee here:  California takes many hits, big and small, in Trump’s 2018 budget proposal

In commentary today …

Why a national infrastructure bill needs money for Western irrigation:  Laura Ziemer and Dan Keppen write, “After the first 100 days of the new administration, Washington, D.C., and Congress look more deeply divided and bitterly partisan than ever. While the political differences run deep and can’t be papered over, it’s also true that Americans are hungering for real solutions and pragmatic compromise on key issues.  One approach that both parties agree on is the need for large infrastructure investments in roads, bridges and other systems to help keep the economy running.  The Trump administration and Congress shouldn’t overlook a prime opportunity to invest in infrastructure: Western water and irrigation systems. Here in the West, our dams, irrigation systems, canals and other infrastructure – much of it more than a century old – are past due for modernization. … ” Read more from Water Deeply here:  Why a national infrastructure bill needs money for Western irrigation

Water extraction project would be destructive to California’s Mojave Desert, says Senator Dianne Feinstein:  She writes, “California’s public lands and resources are under siege by a powerful corporation and its allies in Washington.  Congressional Republicans used a recent must-pass government spending bill to pave the way for the Cadiz water extraction project, a particularly destructive project in California’s Mojave Desert.  Cadiz seeks to create a loophole in an 1875 railroad law to drain an ancient desert aquifer without any federal oversight. The aquifer supports the abundant wildlife of California’s desert – from tortoises and bighorn sheep to breathtaking wildflower blooms that blanket the region. … ”  Read more from the Sacramento Bee here:  Water extraction project would be destructive to California’s Mojave Desert

In regional news and commentary today …

Not going to give up, say the Water for the Citizens of Weed:  They write, “We would like to respond to the May 16 article in the Siskiyou Daily News, “Roseburg asks court to weigh in on Weed water controversy.”  Since early last year our volunteer citizen group, Water for Citizens of Weed, California (WCWC), has been working to protect and secure the water of Beaughan Springs upon which the people of Weed have always depended. We have strived to convince Roseburg Forest Products (RFP), which is trying to take away our water for other purposes, to instead “do the right thing” and recognize that this water is meant for the people of Weed – it is not just a commodity to be sold to the highest bidder. ... ”  Read more from the Siskiyou Daily News here:  Not going to give up, say the Water for the Citizens of Weed

Westside San Franciscans are none too happy about new water mix:  “San Franciscans take pride in drinking pristine water from Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, which they treasure as among the purest in the nation.  So a recent move by the Public Utilities Commission to introduce ground water gradually into the city’s drinking supply prompted anxiety and suspicion.  “How will this affect my grandaughter? I feel like she’s the guinea pig,” said Ingrid Eggers, a Mission District resident who spoke at a Wednesday hearing before the Board of Supervisors’ Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee. … ”  Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here:  Westside San Franciscans are none too happy about new water mix

Sacramento: Discovery Park will open after four months of being underwater:  “After being flooded for months, Discovery Park will open its gates Saturday for Memorial Day weekend, Sacramento County Regional Parks announced Wednesday.  The 302-acre park closed in January during winter storms as heavy rains and high releases from Folsom Lake left it underwater. The popular summer destination sits at the confluence of the American and Sacramento rivers. … ”  Read more from the Sacramento Bee here:  Discovery Park will open after four months of being underwater

Ripon groundwater level dropped 3 feet:  “Not much has changed with the City of Ripon’s groundwater levels during the recent drought.  That’s according to a report by Director of Public Works Ted Johnston as provided during the recent Ripon City Council.
“The Public Works Department has been doing weekly samples (of the eight production wells) for the past 10 years, he said.  Johnston added: “There was a general decrease in levels up to 2013, but then the drought occurred – the levels dropped by three feet.” … ”  Read more from the Manteca Bulletin here:  Ripon groundwater level dropped 3 feet

Owens Valley: LADWP updates preparations for massive runoff:  “The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) has taken active measures to prepare for the arrival of anticipated massive runoff water resulting from this year’s near record snowpack in the Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains. Now that the runoff period has arrived, the focus for LADWP crews has shifted from preparing waterways and spreading basins to now handling the large runoff flows.  Efforts are underway for LADWP to harness one of the largest snowpack runoffs from the Eastern Sierra watershed in the over-100-year history of the Los Angeles Aqueduct. Up to 1 million acre feet (AF) of water – or about twice the amount of water Angelenos consume in one year – is expected to flow through the aqueduct system this spring and summer. … ”  Read more from the Sierra Wave here:  Owens Valley: LADWP updates preparations for massive runoff

LA lawns lose lots of water: 70 billion gallons a year:  “In summer 2010, Los Angeles was losing about 100 gallons of water per person per day to the atmosphere through the evaporation and plant uptake of lawns and trees. Lawns accounted for 70 percent of the water loss, while trees accounted for 30 percent, according to a University of Utah study published in Water Resources Research.  The results, based on measurements taken before Los Angeles enacted mandatory watering restrictions in 2014, shows a pattern of systemic overwatering in the city’s lawns, and a surprising water efficiency in tree cover. Further, the researchers found a correlation between water loss and household income.  “The soil was so moist that plants were not limited in water use,” says Elizaveta Litvak, postdoctoral scholar and first author of the new study. “It was the maximum water loss possible.” … ”  Read more from the University of Utah here:  LA lawns lose lots of water: 70 billion gallons a year

San Diego mayor touts commitment to sustainability, launches Pure Water Initiative:  “At City Age: Build the Future in San Diego this April, San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer highlighted the city’s commitment to environmental sustainability even as it undergoes a massive urban renewal and economic transformation.  Mayor Faulconer has a long history of taking action on policy ideas to spur the revitalization of “America’s Finest City.” In this excerpt, he ties the city’s growth to its need for a reliable water supply, and showcases San Diego as a model for cities and regions throughout the country. This excerpt is prefaced with a description of the Pure Water San Diego initiative, launched days after the CityAge event.  … ”  Read more from The Planning Report here: San Diego mayor touts commitment to sustainability, launches Pure Water Initiative

Along the Colorado River …

Denver: Fishermen to be compensated for capturing predator fish:  “Just under the surface of the chilly waters of Green Mountain Reservoir lurks a predator that is targeting native Colorado fish species and could lead to major environmental dangers if not controlled.  Wildlife managers are hoping a cash incentive being offered will help them control the exploding populations of northern pike that are destroying native fish populations.  The program that begins Thursday for the summer will pay anglers $20 to catch the illegally introduced predator fish. … ”  Read more from CBS 2 here:  Fishermen to be compensated for capturing predator fish

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.

 

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