In California water news today, California Democrats seek new federal probe of water project; Uncertain future for Delta tunnels project after water districts pull support; California makes critical repairs in in century-old levee system; Farmers ask that ‘waters’ rule be clear, consistent; With drought over, fewer Sierra pine trees are dying; Floods may be bad, but droughts may be even worse; Why the IPCC’s new focus on mountain climate change is a big deal; and more …
In the news today …
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
California Democrats seek new federal probe of water project: “Five California Democrats in Congress asked Tuesday for a new federal review of funding for Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposed tunnel project. Their request follows a federal audit of Brown’s $16 billion proposal to re-engineer California’s complex north-south water system by building two giant water tunnels. The audit, released by the U.S. Interior Department’s inspector-general in September, found that the Interior Department improperly used federal taxpayer money to help fund planning for the tunnels. … ” Read more from the Associated Press here: California Democrats seek new federal probe of water project
Radio show: Uncertain future for Delta tunnels project after water districts pull support: “Gov. Jerry Brown’s $17 billion plan to construct two massive tunnels below the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta fell into more doubt last week, as the Santa Clara Valley Water District voted for a more limited, one-tunnel plan. The vote followed a rejection of the plan last month by the Central Valley’s Westlands Water District. Backers of the project, officially known as “California WaterFix,” say it would stabilize and improve water delivery across the state. But opponents say the tunnels are too costly and will harm the estuary and the fish that depend on it. We discuss the future of the project. Guests: John Laird, secretary, California Natural Resources Agency; Paul Rogers, managing editor, KQED Science; environment writer, The Mercury News.” Listen to KQED Forum show here: Uncertain future for Delta tunnels project after water districts pull support
California makes critical repairs in in century-old levee system: “Water agencies in California spent $80 million this summer to repair 30 of the most critically impaired levees after last winter’s rains, but there were 10 others that they couldn’t get to, officials said. Many of them were in the San Joaquin Valley, where reservoir releases to accommodate late-season snowmelt kept rivers swelling well into June. Officials had to wait for the water to recede to assess impact on the levees, said Jon Ericson, acting chief of the Department of Water Resources’ Division of Flood Management. “There are still sites that we haven’t repaired, and we’re going to have contingency plans for those,” Ericson said during a news conference Oct. 23 on a levee overlooking the Sacramento Weir, which is undergoing repairs. … ” Read more from the Capital Press here: California makes critical repairs in in century-old levee system
Farmers ask that ‘waters’ rule be clear, consistent: “A “waters of the United States” rule that is clear, feasible and maintains existing exemptions for everyday farming activities: That’s what agricultural stakeholders sought during a teleconference with federal officials, as agencies seek to develop a new WOTUS rule. “Many agricultural interests that took part in the call expressed concern about the lack of consistency among agencies regarding how they interpret waters of the U.S. regulations under the Clean Water Act,” California Farm Bureau Federation Associate Counsel Kari Fisher said after monitoring last week’s teleconference. “Commenters also urged regulatory clarity and meaningful application of existing agricultural exclusions and exemptions.” … ” Read more from Ag Alert here: Farmers ask that ‘waters’ rule be clear, consistent
With drought over, fewer Sierra pine trees are dying: “After five years of drought in which more than 100 million trees died in California — mostly ponderosa pines attacked by tiny bark beetles in the Sierra Nevada — aerial surveys this summer revealed fewer dead pines than last year, a positive turn that researchers hope will continue if the state has another wet winter. “We’re all hoping for another wet year that would really get us out of this situation,” said Jeffrey Moore, aerial program survey manager with the U.S. Forest Service in Davis. … ” Read more from KQED here: With drought over, fewer Sierra pine trees are dying
Floods may be bad, but droughts may be even worse: “It is by now a familiar story: The storm hits, the cities flood, dramatic rescues ensue to save people from the rising waters, followed by the arduous and expensive cleanup. But chances are you’ve thought less about the deadly and economically destructive consequences of a slower-moving culprit: drought. Repeated droughts around the world are destroying enough farm produce to feed 81 million people for a year and are four times more costly for economies than floods, the World Bank found in a new study. Beyond hindering food production, erratic rainfall patterns and longer droughts as the climate changes are causing a host of problems for cities, including businesses. ... ” Read more from CBS News here: Floods may be bad, but droughts may be even worse
Why the IPCC’s new focus on mountain climate change is a big deal: “Public safety officials were partly prepared when the biggest landslide ever recorded in Switzerland roared through a mountain village in late August, killing eight people. For years, geologists had been monitoring the impacts of global warming in the surrounding mountains, and, in late July, they issued a warning that a big chunk of the towering Piz Cengalo could break away and threaten the town of Bondo. But nobody was ready for the size and scope of the slide, which started near the top of the 11,000-foot peak and traveled more than a mile and 8,000 vertical feet to the valley floor, killing eight climbers, destroying a major highway, and surrounding the town with piles of sludge and rubble more than 30 feet deep in places. ... ” Read more from Pacific Standard here: Why the IPCC’s new focus on mountain climate change is a big deal
In regional news and commentary today …
Crews repair temperature curtains at Whiskeytown Lake: “Over the past several weeks crews have been out on Whiskeytown Lake repairing the temperature curtains in the water near the Visitors Center. Barges have been parked along the string of buoys set up across the cove just west of the Visitors Center, and crews have been replacing many of the buoys that hold the curtains. Much of the work is going on underwater as dive crews replace anchor chains and repair the curtain material. … ” Read more from the Redding Record Searchlight here: Crews repair temperature curtains at Whiskeytown Lake
Oroville Dam: DWR plans to use Gold Rush rock from wildlife area: “The state Department of Water Resources plans to clear mounds of rock from the Gold Rush days at the Oroville Wildlife Area and put them to use in the rebuilding of the spillways at Oroville Dam.DWR received approval from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, according to a filing made last week. The wildlife area stretches nearly 12,000 acres, located in southwest Oroville along the Feather River. It is owned by DWR and managed by the state Department of Fish and Wildlife. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News here: Oroville Dam: DWR plans to use Gold Rush rock from wildlife area
Butte County Supervisor tells DWR it needs to restore trust with Oroville: “Tuesday, the Department of Water Resources gave a quick presentation about the Oroville Dam spillway repairs to the Butte County Board of Supervisors. In response, Butte County Chairman Bill Connelly made it known that Oroville has some major trust issues with the Department of Water Resources. He fired concerns at DWR’s Deputy Director of the State Water Project, Joel Ledesma. “I’m just personally leery of a situation where the same people who told us everything was okay are doing the inspections now,” Conelly said to Ledesma in the meeting. … ” Read more from KRCR-TV here: Butte County Supervisor tells DWR it needs to restore trust with Oroville
Sacramento determines cause of water contamination scare: “Sacramento water officials have determined the cause of discolored tap water that prompted a “Do Not Drink” warning last week to a small area of North Sacramento. Sacramento’s Department of Utilities says the cause of the purple-tinged water was a higher concentration of manganese, a metal that can occur naturally in ground water. ... ” Read more from Capital Public Radio here: Sacramento determines cause of water contamination scare
Tuolumne Utilities District board will seek funding to improve flume system: “Tuolumne Utilities District will submit an application for a $3 million state grant to engineer a tunnel or pipeline that would replace an important but vulnerable Gold Rush era wooden flume in the Stanislaus River watershed. The TUD Board of Directors unanimously approved a resolution Tuesday night to apply for the funding from the California Office of Emergency Services by the Nov. 1 deadline. About 95 percent of the district’s water supply depends on the flume to reach about 44,000 customers in Tuolumne County. … ” Read more from the Union Democrat here: Tuolumne Utilities District board will seek funding to improve flume system
Coachella Valley: Facing conflicts of interests, agency board members draw names from a hat to consider $58 million project: “Three of the five board members of the Coachella Valley Water District are farmers, and that fact has become an obstacle as they consider building a pipeline to carry Colorado River water to farms. Board members Anthony Bianco, Peter Nelson and John Powell, Jr., explained during a meeting on Tuesday that each of them owns or works for a business that would get water from the proposed pipeline. District Counsel Jeff Ferre said therefore each of the men has a conflict of interest, and he recommended they recuse themselves. After the three left the room, Board Clerk Sylvia Bermudez put three folded pieces of paper into a hat – each one of them with board member’s name on it – and pulled out one piece of paper. … ” Read more from the Desert Sun here: Coachella Valley: Facing conflicts of interests, agency board members draw names from a hat to consider $58 million project
First ever lawsuit asks: Does the Colorado River have a right to exist? “Should a river have legal rights of its own? Should it be able to thrive, and even evolve naturally, without human interference? Those are the deep questions asked in a precedent-setting federal lawsuit filed in September in which the Colorado River, as an ecosystem, seeks federal legal rights to exist and to flourish. It is the first action of its kind in the United States. The plaintiff in the case is the Colorado River itself, with the organization Deep Green Resistance acting as a “next friend” on its behalf. A next friend is a common-law term, referring to a person representing another who is unable to maintain a suit on their own behalf. ... ” Read more from Water Deeply here: First ever lawsuit asks: Does the Colorado River have a right to exist?
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
- NEWS WORTH NOTING: House Democrats seek GAO Investigation into Federal Scheme to Fund Delta Tunnels Project
- DELTA STEWARDSHIP COUNCIL: Overview of the Central Valley Flood Protection Plan
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