In California water news today, Farmer seeks settlement in Clean Water Act case; Between extremes: California rises from drought; Heat wave accelerating runoff from the Sierra; Dams: ‘Relics’ or vital to an ‘all of the above’ fix?; Why ‘hydro-politics’ will shape the 21st century; and more …
On the calendar today …
- The State Water Resources Control Board will meet this morning at 9am. Agenda items include the 2016 Water Data Challenge, power plant cooling structures, recycled water, and Cal EcoRestore. Click here for the full agenda.
In the news today …
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
Farmer seeks settlement in Clean Water Act case: “A California farmer is in settlement talks with officials of President Donald Trump’s administration as a lawsuit to enforce $2.8 million in fines against him is set to go to trial in August, his attorney said. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers claims Modesto, Calif., nursery owner John Duarte illegally filled wetlands while planting a wheat field in Tehama County, Calif. The agency ordered him to stop work in the field in 2013. In a pretrial hearing June 16, U.S. District Judge Kimberly Mueller set a trial date of Aug. 15, denying — at least for now — Duarte’s motion to move it to next spring so that the judge could visit his wheat farm at the same time of year as it was inspected, said Tony Francois, senior attorney for Pacific Legal Foundation, which is representing Duarte. … ” Read more from Capital Press here: Farmer seeks settlement in Clean Water Act case
Between extremes: California rises from drought: “A June snowstorm just topped off the already thick layer of white stuff atop the Sierra Nevadas. California’s snow water equivalent rose to a heaping 170 percent of normal. But not so long ago, the state was in the midst of a deep drought; its mountains were bare and brown, and water levels plummeted in reservoirs. Throughout, satellites were watching. Check out the California drought and its aftermath in a video from NASA Earth Observatory.” View the video at NASA’s Earth Observatory here: Between extremes: California rises from drought
Heat wave accelerating runoff from the Sierra: “Heavy rains and snow this past winter has left rivers flowing higher than average and reservoirs near capacity. The California Department of Water Resources says that river flows range from about 20-percent above average in the Sacramento River near Shasta, to double the average flows in the San Joaquin and Kings Rivers. … ” Read more from CBS Sacramento here: Heat wave accelerating runoff from the Sierra
Dams: ‘Relics’ or vital to an ‘all of the above’ fix? “As the West struggles with climate change, drought and rapid population growth, talk about the region’s deepening water woes often boils down to a simple but complicated question. Build more dams and other infrastructure, or ramp up conservation? E&E News put that question to two leading players with strong competing views. ... ” Read what Pat Mulroy and Daniel Beard have to say at E&E here: Dams: ‘Relics’ or vital to an ‘all of the above’ fix?
Why ‘hydro-politics’ will shape the 21st century: “The 2008 James Bond film Quantum of Solace pits 007 against an evil criminal syndicate bent on global domination. Sounds par for the course… but this particular network of baddies isn’t using lasers or missiles to cause havoc. No, the Quantum organisation has a uniquely dastardly plan: seizing control of Bolivia’s water supply. While the evil syndicate’s role in the film might not be entirely realistic, this piece of fiction does raise a scenario that is worth considering seriously: what would happen if a country’s water supply was cut off? What would be the global fallout? … ” Read more from BBC Future here: Why ‘hydro-politics’ will shape the 21st century
In commentary today …
Cadiz water project will safeguard the environment, says Courtney Degener: She writes, “Last week, SCV News featured an opinion piece by Linda Castro of Santa Clarita about the Cadiz Valley Water Conservation, Recovery and Storage Project (“Protect the Groundwater Beneath Our National Treasures,” June 15). I share with Ms. Castro the affection for the Cadiz Valley and agree it is a “postcard” of the California desert. However, I couldn’t disagree more with Castro’s description of the Cadiz Water Project and was deeply disappointed with the string of factual misrepresentations throughout the piece. … ” Continue reading at SCV News here: Cadiz water project will safeguard the environment
More drought-resistant water sources in San Diego? Sure thing: “A $42 million project that doubled the capacity of an innovative groundwater desalination plant in Chula Vista is now complete, another big step for a region in dire need of diversification of its water supply. The expansion doubles the facility’s production of drinking water from 5 million gallons a day to 10 million by adding five new wells. The drought-resistant water source — brackish, or saline, groundwater that’s been cleaned using reverse-osmosis technology — will be shared evenly between the Sweetwater Authority and the city of San Diego, which split the costs of the project not covered by $31 million in state and federal grants. … ” Read more from the San Diego Union-Tribune here: More drought-resistant water sources in San Diego? Sure thing
In regional news and commentary today …
Major cleanup to begin at Oroville’s flood-damaged Riverbend Park: “Riverbend Park is about to get some much-needed TLC. The recreational hot spot along the Feather River has been closed since February after the park was badly battered during the Lake Oroville spillway crisis. After months of applications for federal funding and assessments of the damage, the first phase of the project will begin officially Friday. ... ” Read more from the Chico Enterprise-Record here: Major cleanup to begin at Oroville’s flood-damaged Riverbend Park
Toxic runoff continues to percolate in El Dorado County: “Another wet season has ended, but concerns about toxic storm water runoff from properties near a popular walking and biking trail just west of Placerville on the county’s West Slope remain. Testing done last winter confirms that the same high pH levels that first prompted concerns about public safety in the area in early 2016 remain. The El Dorado Trail winds through lush vegetation and is crossed by tributaries that lead to Weber Creek and eventually to the American River. … ” Read more from Lake Tahoe News here: Toxic runoff continues to percolate in El Dorado County
Kings County: Resort’s residents watched as floodwaters rise higher, and then they had to flee: “Residents of the Riverland Resort near Kingsburg had to move out Monday due to flooding caused by snow melting high in the Sierra that has swollen the Kings River. The water started coming up Friday, and by Sunday a lake that is part of the resort started overflowing. Water covered the riverfront beach and started flowing underneath some of the cabins next to the river. A sign on the main office at the entrance to the resort said the park was closed due to flooding until further notice. … ” Read more from the Fresno Bee here: Resort’s residents watched as floodwaters rise higher, and then they had to flee
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.
