In California water news today, California’s clean-water-for-all experiment begins to deliver; Study: Rivers recover faster than expected after dam removal; Legislation procrastination: California lawmakers leave some of the biggest bills for the final days; Fires, droughts, and hurricanes: What’s the link between climate change and natural disasters?; and more …
In the news today …
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
- RESERVOIR AND WATER CONDITIONS for September 11
- NEWS WORTH NOTING: Delta Counties Coalition decries lack of transparency and improper use of public funds to advance twin tunnels project; Army Corps now has nine certified planners; Two-year pilot study proposed on CVP water for Sutter National Wildlife Refuge
California’s clean-water-for-all experiment begins to deliver: “Hundreds of thousands of California residents, perhaps as many as one million of the 39 million people in the state, do not have safe drinking water or toilet facilities. The wide gap in access to a basic need became a rallying cry more than a decade ago when social justice advocates began promoting a new water strategy for California, a strategy that resulted, in 2012, in a first-of-its-kind state statute that declared safe, clean, affordable water and sanitation a human right. Lawmakers encounter those principles today as they debate how to fund water system maintenance for poor communities and design the nation’s first state-run water utility bill assistance program. … ” Read more from the Circle of Blue here: California’s clean-water-for-all experiment begins to deliver
Study: Rivers recover faster than expected after dam removal: “Dam removal is a relatively new area of science. It wasn’t until the mid-1990s that tearing down a dam to restore a river became a regular occurrence across the United States. Most dam removals have been studied and monitored closely to ensure that results meet expectations and to avoid harmful consequences. But there haven’t been many comprehensive reviews of the field of dam removal to answer broader questions, such as: How many dam removals actually helped fish recolonize rivers? How long did that take? What were the effects of releasing sediment stored behind dams? … ” Read more from Water Deeply here: Study: Rivers recover faster than expected after dam removal
Legislation procrastination: California lawmakers leave some of the biggest bills for the final days: “The California Legislature has left many of its high-stakes proposals — from a “sanctuary state” bill to a long-delayed affordable-housing package — for the final five days before adjourning for the year, setting the stage for a frenzied week in the Capitol. Bills that don’t get a vote by Friday will have to wait until January, when lawmakers reconvene for the second half of a two-year session. “The Legislature is no different from you and me,” said Larry Gerston, a San Jose State professor emeritus. Lawmakers put off the most difficult decisions for as long as they can, he said, and the two-year option allows them “the luxury of waiting.” ... ” Read more from the Mercury News here: Legislation procrastination: California lawmakers leave some of the biggest bills for the final days
Fires, droughts, and hurricanes: What’s the link between climate change and natural disasters? “With Hurricane Irma smashing into Florida so soon after Hurricane Harvey flooded southeastern Texas — and as wildfires burn through the western United States — extreme events have been hitting the U.S. from all sides. To what extent does climate change influence them? Here are a few ways researchers think that climate change’s effects could play out. … ” Read more from the LA Times here: Fires, droughts, and hurricanes: What’s the link between climate change and natural disasters?
In regional news and commentary today …
Wood in the river? Leave it there, biologist says: “A large piece of wood lying across local river or stream may seem ripe for the taking as free firewood or building material, but removing it could cause problems at both ecological and economic levels. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration fisheries biologist Dan Free of Arcata said it is a common occurrence for people to take wood from local rivers without realizing that it provides important habitat for local wildlife. “I understand that a lot of people don’t put the two and two together,” Free said. “You see a nice piece of dry wood to access on the river bar. That is removing a valuable piece of future habitat for fish in doing that. ... ” Read more from the Eureka Times-Standard here: Wood in the river? Leave it there, biologist says
Design teams attack growing threat for Bay Area flooding: rising seas: “Ten teams of experts will hit the ground this week in a yearlong blitz to bolster the Bay Area against rising seas and other potentially catastrophic risks posed by the changing climate. The project, dubbed Resilient by Design, was inspired by a similar planning challenge to rebuild east coast locations ravaged by “Superstorm” Sandy in October of 2012. “We’ve realized that our current systems aren’t set up to address what we know is happening,” says Amanda Brown-Stevens, a land use advocate who is heading up the project. “So we want the teams to think outside the box.” … ” Read more from KQED here: Design teams attack growing threat for Bay Area flooding: rising seas
Grant will let Putah restoration work continue: “A $375,000 federal grant administered through the California Waterfowl Association will allow channel restoration work on Putah Creek to be extended from the Winters Putah Creek Park out nearly to Interstate 505. “As stewards of this important resource, we are encouraged to see these projects take shape so that ecological form and function along Putah Creek can be leveraged to maximize the benefits to the plants, animals and people throughout the watershed,” Kent Anderson, executive director of the Putah Creek Council, said in a statement announcing the grant. ... ” Read more from the Daily Republic here: Grant will let Putah restoration work continue
Pop star Sia tweets support for bill targeting Mojave Desert water project; calls out Senate leader: “There’s a new player in the fight over a controversial proposal to pump groundwater just outside a national monument in the Mojave Desert: pop star Sia Furler. The best-selling singer-songwriter, who owns a home in Palm Springs and got married here a few years ago, tweeted Friday night at California Senate leader Kevin de León and another senator, urging them to “Please #preserveCA and let the CAleg vote on #AB1000.” The bill would require a state environmental review of Cadiz Inc.’s plan to pump as much as 16.3 million acres of groundwater per year in the middle of the desert, just outside Mojave Trails National Monument, and sell it to Southern California cities. … ” Read more from The Desert Sun here: Pop star Sia tweets support for bill targeting Mojave Desert water project; calls out Senate leader
More news and commentary in the weekend edition …
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
- RESERVOIR AND WATER CONDITIONS for September 11
- NEWS WORTH NOTING: Delta Counties Coalition decries lack of transparency and improper use of public funds to advance twin tunnels project; Army Corps now has nine certified planners; Two-year pilot study proposed on CVP water for Sutter National Wildlife Refuge
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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.
