DAILY DIGEST: An unconventional new captain for California’s water agency; Delta survives latest ‘test’; Friant-Kern canal sinking causes concerns; Report alleges Oroville Dam could be leaking; and more …

Maven
DAILY DIGEST
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In California water news today, An unconventional new captain for California’s water agency; Delta survives latest ‘test’; Friant-Kern canal sinking causes concerns; Report alleges Oroville Dam could be leaking; ORAC supports relicensing delay, asks DWR ‘What’s the hurry?’; Interior Department nominee, set for confirmation vote on Monday, is accused of conflict on interest; and more …

On the calendar today …

  • Webinar: California-Nevada Drought & Climate Outlook at 11am: The California-Nevada Drought Early Warning System (CA-NV DEWS) Drought & Climate Outlook Webinar is part of a series of regular drought and climate outlook webinars designed to provide stakeholders and other interested parties in the region with timely information on current drought status and impacts, as well as a preview of current and developing climatic events (i.e. El Niño and La Niña).  Click here to register.

In the news today …

Also on Maven’s Notebook today …

An unconventional new captain for California’s water agency:  “California Gov. Jerry Brown last week appointed Grant Davis as director of the state’s Department of Water Resources. Davis, 54, general manager of the Sonoma County Water Agency, brings an unusual resume to the job.  With a degree in political science from the University of California, Berkeley, he had never worked for a water utility until joining the Sonoma County agency in 2007 as assistant general manager. Previously, he spent a decade as executive director of The Bay Institute in Novato. The non-profit environmental group is a leading critic of WaterFix, Brown’s $17 billion proposal to build two gigantic water diversion tunnels under the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. … ”  Read more from Water Deeply here:  An unconventional new captain for California’s water agency

Delta survives latest ‘test’:  “The engineers who scrambled to prevent Delta farms from flooding this year have long insisted that the levees surrounding those low-lying islands are not as fragile as they’re sometimes portrayed to be.  Now, after seven months of high water without a single major island flooding, those engineers feel validated.  “We hear so many bad things about the levees,” said engineer Gilbert Cosio, who works for a number of the rural reclamation districts run by farmers. “But we’ve been doing a lot of good the last 30 years. This kind of proves it. This was not the disaster it could have been.” ... ”  Read more from the Stockton Record here:  Delta survives latest ‘test’

Friant-Kern canal sinking causes concerns:  “When water flowing down the Friant-Kern Canal this winter began to hit the bottom of some bridges, officials took serious notice. The canal — between Deer Creek and White River — has dropped as much as two feet in some places because of subsidence.  The 152-mile canal from Millerton Lake above Fresno to just inside Kern County, serves approximately a million acres of farm land delivering much-needed water for irrigation. It also provides drinking water to the cities of Orange Cove and Lindsay, as well as to Terra Bella. … ”  Read more from the Porterville Recorder here:  Friant-Kern canal sinking causes concerns

Report alleges Oroville Dam could be leaking:  “A report from the Center for Catastrophic Risk Management alleged that green spots at the Oroville Dam suggest it could be leaking.  The UC Berkeley research group released the 124 page report Thursday. In it, author Robert Bea wrote that documented images of wet spots and vegetation near the left abutment on the backside of the dam suggest the Oroville Dam could be facing a breach danger from a slow motion leakage failure. … ” Read more from KRCR here:  Report alleges Oroville Dam could be leaking

ORAC supports relicensing delay, asks DWR ‘What’s the hurry?’:  “If the Oroville Dam relicensing agreement was approved now, the state Department of Water Resources and local groups could be partners for another 50 years.  With many unknowns following the spillway crisis — like what caused it in the first place – some signatories of the settlement agreement are having cold feet about DWR continuing to operate the dam, leaving the organization on the defensive. Things got a little heated Friday as DWR tried to convince the Oroville Recreation Advisory Committee, or ORAC, to not request a delay in the relicensing of the Oroville Dam. … ”  Read more from the Chico Enterprise-Record here:  ORAC supports relicensing delay, asks DWR ‘What’s the hurry?’

Interior Department nominee, set for confirmation vote on Monday, is accused of conflict on interest:  “David Bernhardt, President Trump’s nominee for deputy interior secretary, has been described as “an excellent choice” by supporters and “a walking conflict of interest” by opponents. The full Senate is set to vote on his nomination Monday.  Bernhardt wouldn’t be new to the Interior Department. He served under President George W. Bush as solicitor, the third-ranking position at the department, and as a legal officer. But more recently, he worked for a lobbying firm representing energy interests and a water district. ... ”  Read more from the Washington Post here:  Interior Department nominee, set for confirmation vote on Monday, is accused of conflict on interest

Passings …

Former California GOP Senate leader Dave Cogdill passes away:  “Former California state Sen. Dave Cogdill, whose support for temporary tax increases during the state’s 2009 budget crisis ended his legislative career, has died.  The Central Valley Republican died at his home in Manteca on Sunday morning after battling pancreatic cancer, his family said. He was 66.  Cogdill served three terms in the state Assembly and was the Senate Republican leader from 2008 to 2009, during the worst budget crises in California’s history. ... ” Read more from The Hour here:  Former California GOP Senate leader Dave Cogdill passes away

In commentary today …

St. Francis dam victims deserve Senate action, says the Ventura County Star:  They write, “With the future of our health care system still unresolved, tax reform on the agenda, investigations of Russian meddling continuing and other big issues on its plate, we understand the U.S. Senate doesn’t have a lot of spare time these days. But we have a suggestion on how it can score a quick, easy, nonpartisan win this fall:  Pass the Saint Francis Dam Disaster National Memorial Act. … ”  Read more from the Visalia Times-Delta here:  St. Francis dam victims deserve Senate action

In regional news and commentary today …

Annual report shows river boosts Davis water quality:  “Drinking water quality in Davis has improved over the last year, though contaminants like hexavalent chromium continue to appear in excess, according to the 2016 Davis Water Quality report that was released this month.  The latest water quality figures reflect the impacts of the new Woodland-Davis Surface Water Project, which started going online in phases from June to October 2016. … ”  Read more from the Davis Enterprise here:  Annual report shows river boosts Davis water quality

Success reservoir enlargement moves one step closer:  “Enlarging the spillway at Success Dam so the reservoir can hold more water moved a giant step forward Friday when a signing ceremony was held on a cost-sharing agreement for the project’s cost-analysis study, one of the last steps before the long-awaited project can begin.  U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Col. David Ray and Tulare County Supervisor Mike Ennis signed the agreement which provides $450,000 for the cost analysis of the project. The Corps is paying $250,000 of the cost, while partners in the project, including the county, the City of Porterville and several area water districts, are coming up with the other $200,000. … ” Read more from the Porterville Recorder here:  Success reservoir enlargement moves one step closer

Lois Henry: Cowboy tactics not helping turn failed McAllister Ranch subdivision into Kern’s newest water bank: “Well, that didn’t take long.  It’s been less than a month since Buena Vista Water Storage District bought the remaining 600 acres of the failed McAllister Ranch subdivision and it’s already butting heads with Bakersfield city officials.  Like, major league butting.  The city cited the water district last week for excavating several ditches on the property without permits and for putting up K-rail barriers blocking public roads.  And it fired off a letter to Buena Vista’s attorneys threatening to revive a lawsuit over the district’s plans to create a water bank on the former housing development. ... ”  Read more from the Bakersfield Californian here:  Cowboy tactics not helping turn failed McAllister Ranch subdivision into Kern’s newest water bank

Resident asks, “What’s the role of the Chino Desalter Authority?”:  “Chino resident Paul Morales was getting gas on Haven and Philadelphia avenues in Ontario, looked up, and saw a building with the words “Chino Basin Desalter Authority.”  Out of curiosity, he checked into it and discovered that the general manager “made a lot of money.”  He contacted the Champion to find out “who they are and what they do.” ... ”  Read more from the Chino Hills Champion here:  Resident asks, “What’s the role of the Chino Desalter Authority?”

More news and commentary in the weekend edition …

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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