On this Thanksgiving Day, I am thankful for you, my readers!
May your Thanksgiving Day be filled with good thoughts, kind people, happy moments, and unexpected blessings.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours …
from Maven
In California water news today, Fire and rain: California storm brings relief to some, misery to others; Butte County town attempts to save salmon from wildfire devastation; Does Riverside County’s Salton Sea Plan Go Far Enough To Matter?; EPA: It’s not a happy place; and more …
In the news today …
Fire and rain: California storm brings relief to some, misery to others: “The first major rainstorm in months brought misery and jubilation Wednesday to a region of Northern California decimated by a firestorm that raced through towns in the Sierra Nevada foothills and sent choking smoke across a large swath of the state. The rain, which was expected to intensify on Thursday, is helping to extinguish the so-called Camp Fire, the deadliest in the state’s history, firefighters said. By Wednesday afternoon, the storm had already cleared the air of smoke that had closed many schools. … ” Read more from the New York Times here: Fire and rain: California storm brings relief to some, misery to others
EPA: It’s not a happy place: “President Trump has failed to stop climate change work at EPA. The administration has repeatedly tried to slash the agency’s climate funding, only to be rebuffed by Congress. That has left a small cadre of EPA climate experts in an awkward position, working in jobs they know their boss would prefer to ax. Some EPA climate staffers have left the agency since Trump — who has called climate change a “hoax” — entered the White House. Others continue to show up for work every day despite staff cuts, flagging morale and a lack of support for their work from 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. … ” Read more from E&E News here: EPA: It’s not a happy place
In regional news and commentary today …
White resigns as Klamath Water Users Association director: “Scott White, executive director of the Klamath Water Users Association in Klamath Falls, Ore., announced Monday he will resign from the job following a 2018 irrigation season plagued by drought and uncertainty. White, 40, joined the KWUA in February 2016. The association represents 1,200 family farms and ranches within the Klamath Project, a federal water management project that encompasses over 170,000 acres in Southern Oregon and Northern California. “I’ve been blessed to work for these guys the last three years,” White told the Capital Press. “It becomes who you are. It’s an identity that I’m extremely proud of, and it’s not easy to walk away from.” ... ” Read more from the Capital Press here: White resigns as Klamath Water Users Association director
Rain adds new complications to Camp Fire recovery: “Crews in Paradise on Wednesday continued their search for the remains of people killed in the fire, even as the rain started to pour down. On top of the ridge there was not too much concern about flash floods carrying away the rubble, said one member of an Office of Emergency Services strike team who declined to give his name, but the rain presented its challenges. “It makes it slower,” he said. “It’s harder to see when it’s raining.” … ” Read more from the Chico Enterprise-Record here: Rain adds new complications to Camp Fire recovery
Butte County town attempts to save salmon from wildfire devastation: “Despite being evacuated nearly two weeks ago from their homes in the wake of spreading wildfires, residents of the town of Butte Creek Canyon — a few miles east of Chico — plan to join forces Wednesday to save the local salmon population. Locals are very proud of these fish. “Butte Creek spring-run salmon are one of the only remaining populations of wild spring-run salmon left in California,” says Allen Harthorn, executive director of The Friends of Butte Creek, an organization that works to protect the fish, which were once near extinction. … ” Read more from KQED here: Butte County town attempts to save salmon from wildfire devastation
Report from the Owens Valley Groundwater Authority meeting: “As if Fred Stump didn’t make his position on specific groups joining the Owens Valley Groundwater Authority board as voting members clear enough at last month’s meeting, the Mono County Supervisor doubled down Monday afternoon, objecting on ethical terms. “This is an ethical issue,” he said at the end of a discussion on letters to be sent to potential associate members and interested parties in order to gauge interest. “I’m against votes for government agencies, businesses and special interest groups,” he said. “I want to take the decision on voting (privileges) back to our individual boards.” ... ” Read more from the Sierra Wave here: Report from the Owens Valley Groundwater Authority meeting
Santa Barbara has enough water to meet demand through 2021: “As drought drags onto its eighth year, Santa Barbara water resources staff gave a report Tuesday that the city has enough water to last through 2021, even without significant rainfall. “It’s no secret that we are still in a drought,” Kelley Dyer, water resources manager, told the City Council. “We’re in a severe drought condition.” Water supplies come from Lake Cachuma and the State Water Project, the Gibraltar Reservoir, groundwater pumping, desalination and recycled water, and the city is continuing its conservation campaign with water customers. … ” Read more from Noozhawk here: Santa Barbara has enough water to meet demand through 2021
Does Riverside County’s Salton Sea Plan Go Far Enough To Matter?: “Riverside County has a new plan for the Salton Sea – one it says could bring back tourism and generate a billion dollars in tax revenue. … In 1968, Governor Ronald Reagan signed a bill addressing the Salton Sea’s rising salinity levels – fifty years later, the sea is saltier than ever. And it’s shrinking, exposing toxic dust to surrounding communities in Riverside and Imperial Counties. But Riverside County has a plan to restore its portion of the sea. … ” Read more from KVCR here: Does Riverside County’s Salton Sea Plan Go Far Enough To Matter?
Along the Colorado River …
Early season snow delights skiers, but the drought is far from over: “Early season snowfall in some parts of the Colorado River Basin have raised hopes of a drought recovery. But that optimism is likely premature. In Colorado, higher than average snowfall in October and early November has allowed ski resorts to open early after a dismal start to last year’s season. Mountains that feed the Colorado River’s main channel, as well as the Yampa and White Rivers are all currently seeing above average snowpack. Both basins are home to ski resorts in Steamboat Springs, Vail, Aspen and Summit County. ... ” Read more from HPPR here: Early season snow delights skiers, but the drought is far from over
Study will look at mining pollution in Lake Powell: “Heavy metals washed into Lake Powell over the decades by flash floods or rivers flows will be extracted by drilling rigs probing deep into the river deltas. The sediment study will begin this month to collect historical and recent data on metal concentrations. The Utah Department of Environmental Quality, the U.S. Geological Society, the National Park Service and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation are all part of the collaborative effort. … ” Read more from Desert News here: Study will look at mining pollution in Lake Powell
Precipitation watch …
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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.
