DAILY DIGEST: California weighs permanent restrictions for water wasters; Judge orders a new look at water transfer program; Many of north valley dams deemed high hazard; California finally gets a winter as snow, freezing temperatures move in; and more …

In California water news today, California weighs permanent restrictions for water wasters; Judge orders a new look at water transfer program; Many of north valley dams deemed high hazard; California finally gets a winter as snow, freezing temperatures move in; Farmers, fish advocates, team up to save the salmon; As fire risk explodes across the West, an Oregon city finds a solution; Jeep in hot water over ad with SUV romping in wild waters; Agency managing vast US lands experiences major upheaval; and more …

On the calendar today …

• This morning, the State Water Resources Control Board meets at 9:30am: Consideration of a proposed Resolution adopting a regulation prohibiting wasteful water uses and an informational item on the order for Additional Information in the Matter of Diversion of Water from the Sacramento and San Joaquin River Watersheds on Order WR 2015-0002-DWR. Click here for the full agenda.  Click here to watch on webcast.

In the news today …

California weighs permanent restrictions for water wasters:  “That sign in hotel rooms asking guests if they really need their towels and sheets washed each day would become the rule in California, enforced with a $500 fine, if water officials vote to make a series of smaller-scale conservation measures permanent in the drought-prone state.  Members of the state Water Resources Control Board are scheduled to decide Tuesday whether to bring back what had been temporary water bans from California’s 2013-2017 drought and make them permanent. … ”  Read more from the Associated Press here:  California weighs permanent restrictions for water wasters

Judge orders a new look at water transfer program:  “A federal judge ordered federal regulators to reevaluate the environmental impacts of a popular California water program that allows farmers to sell water to parched southern cities and water districts during droughts.  In a 133-page ruling on Feb. 15, U.S. District Judge Lawrence O’Neill declared “unlawful” parts of environmental reviews approved by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation for a 10-year water transfer program. … ”  Read more from the Courthouse News Service here:  Judge orders a new look at water transfer program

Many of north valley dams deemed high hazard:  “Everyone knows about the risk from Oroville Dam after the spillway crisis, but most of the dams in the north valley are considered to have a high-hazard potential.  That means at least one person would likely die if the dam were to fail.  New requirements for these high-risk dams, including annual inspections, will come into play if Gov. Jerry Brown signs the dam safety bill on his desk soon. The bill was unanimously approved by the Assembly on Feb. 12, the one-year anniversary of the Oroville Dam spillway evacuation. It was penned by Assemblyman James Gallagher, R-Yuba City. ... ”  Read more from the Chico Enterprise-Record here:  Many of north valley dams deemed high hazard

California finally gets a winter as snow, freezing temperatures move in:  “California is bracing for below-freezing temperatures, wind and some light snow this Presidents Day after several weeks of unseasonably warm weather, forecasters said.  In the San Francisco Bay Area, a freeze warning will be in effect Monday night through Tuesday morning, with temperatures expected to hit record lows, plummeting to the 20s and 30s, according to the National Weather Service. … ”  Read more from the LA Times here:  California finally gets a winter as snow, freezing temperatures move in

Farmers, fish advocates, team up to save the salmon:  “The winter-run Chinook salmon population continues to hover around historic lows in the Sacramento River, but Sacramento Valley farmers are working together with scientists to grow fish food on their rice fields in hopes of reversing this troubling trend.  Scientists involved in the project highlighted plans and recent achievements Monday at Davis Ranches in Colusa as part of the annual “Bird Day” event, which celebrates efforts to provide habitat for native wildlife in concert with active rice-growing. ... ”  Read more from the Davis Enterprise here:  Farmers, fish advocates, team up to save the salmon

As fire risk explodes across the West, an Oregon city finds a solution:  “All over the West, overgrown forests represent a ticking time bomb. A century of fire suppression and inappropriate logging practices have left forests dangerously overgrown. Add climate change – rising temperatures, shrinking snowpacks – and the threat of catastrophic fires becomes very real.  In California, thousands of homes were recently incinerated in Santa Rosa and Santa Barbara by fires that could not be controlled. In the latter case, subsequent mudslides killed more people than the original fires and also harmed water quality.  Fixing the problem is difficult. … ”  Read more from Water Deeply here:  As fire risk explodes across the West, an Oregon city finds a solution

Jeep in hot water over ad with SUV romping in wild waters:  “The head of one of the nation’s largest fish conservation groups says Fiat Chrysler’s Super Bowl ads “glorified” the destruction of aquatic habitat in an apparent attempt to appeal to off-road thrill-seekers.  It’s the second time ads by the automaker have drawn complaints since the Feb. 4 game.  Trout Unlimited President and CEO Chris Wood said Wednesday that one ad gave the impression a Jeep Cherokee was splashing down the middle of a wild streambed. … ” Read more from the Herald and News here:  Jeep in hot water over ad with SUV romping in wild waters

Agency managing vast US lands experiences major upheaval:  “A year of upheaval at the U.S. Interior Department has seen dozens of senior staff members reassigned and key leadership positions left unfilled, rules considered burdensome to industry shelved, and a sweeping reorganization proposed for its 70,000 employees.  The evolving status quo at the agency responsible for more than 780,000 square miles (2 million square kilometers) of public lands, mostly in the West, has prompted praise from energy and mining companies and Republicans, who welcomed the departure from perceived heavy-handed regulation under President Barack Obama. … ”  Read more from the Fresno Bee here:  Agency managing vast US lands experiences major upheaval

In commentary today …

California officials on water storage: What, me worry?  The San Diego Union-Tribune writes, “A defining quality of California’s state government is sluggishness. It’s common for audits of state agencies to note that problems identified in previous audits remain unresolved.  Now Californians are witnessing an especially egregious example of this state trait. Forty months after state voters reacted to a brutal drought by lopsidedly approving a $7.5 billion water bond, none of the $2.7 billion the measure set aside for water storage projects has been appropriated by the California Water Commission. And as George Skelton of the Los Angeles Times noted in a recent column, local water agencies are frustrated because they don’t have a clear sense of what the commission wants before it is willing to commit to local projects. … ”  Read more from the San Diego Union Tribune here:  California officials on water storage: What, me worry?

In regional news and commentary today …

House Committee approves Klamath project water bill:  “A bill that would allow Klamath Project irrigators to transfer water claims from one property to another has received a committee endorsement as it makes its way through the Legislature.  House Bill 4016 received a recommendation for approval Friday from the House Energy and Environment Committee and is now before the House Rules Committee.  The bill was submitted Feb. 5 by the Energy and Environment Committee, whose membership includes local Rep. E. Werner Reschke, R-Klamath Falls. Supporters have until March 11, when the current session ends, to pass the bill through the House and Senate. … ”  Read more from the Herald and News here:  House Committee approves Klamath project water bill

Humboldt County considers its risk at Pacific rises:  “Humboldt County can be a wet place, but there’s plenty more to come as sea levels continue to rise. The Sea Level Rise Vulnerability Assessment, in the works for several years, was completed last month. It details the ways and areas in which the North Coast is especially prone to problems from higher sea levels.  Now the next question: how best to act on the information. We put these and more to Alderon Laird, who authored the report. … ”  Read more from Jefferson Public Radio here:  Humboldt County considers its risk at Pacific rises

Groundwater, boundaries part of next Solano Irrigation District meeting:  “Solano Irrigation District directors will be given a groundwater status report and conduct a public hearing on the district boundaries when they meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday. … In a related issue to the groundwater update, the board also will consider approval of an amendment to the Solano Subbasin agreement for cooperative implementation of the California Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. ... ”  Read more from the Fairfield Daily Republic here:  Groundwater, boundaries part of next Solano Irrigation District meeting

Fort Ord: Recycled water pipeline project set to break ground with ceremony:  “In the works for more than a decade, a recycled water pipeline and distribution system to supply the Ord Community and the Seaside basin will formally mark the beginning of construction this week.  On Tuesday, Marina Coast Water District and Monterey One Water officials will hold an official groundbreaking for the $22.6 million project, which is set to add 8 miles of 24-inch pipeline from north of Marina to Seaside where it will connect with two more miles of existing pipe along Gen. Jim Moore Boulevard. … ”  Read more from the Monterey County Herald here:  Fort Ord: Recycled water pipeline project set to break ground with ceremony

LADWP, Inyo County continue dispute on county landfills:  “The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power is suing Inyo County for violating the California Environmental Quality Act by attempting to “obtain property and water rights owned” by Los Angeles at three county land-fills without conducting “the necessary environmental review.”  According to the press release sent to Sierra Wave Friday, the suit was filed February 9. … ”  Read more from the Sierra Wave here:  LADWP, Inyo County continue dispute on county landfills

DWP: Silverwood Dam closed to all access:  “Citing over two decades of vandalism, theft, and concerns about dam safety, the Department of Water Resources (DWR) closed the Silverwood Lake dam to all fishing and other public access early this past week. The dam is now fenced off, including from boating anglers, and violators will be cited. … ”  Read more from the Daily Press here:  DWP: Silverwood Dam closed to public access

Along the Colorado River …

Interstate water storage deals violated state law, former Arizona water chiefs say:  “Two former Arizona water directors told the State Auditor General’s Office last year that the agency that runs the Central Arizona Project exceeded its authority under state law.  The former directors, Rita Maguire and Herb Guenther, said recently that they told state auditors the Central Arizona Water Conservation District (CAWCD) legally overstepped its bounds. … ”  Read more from the Arizona Daily Star here:  Interstate water storage deals violated state law, former Arizona water chiefs say

More news and commentary in the weekend and Presidents Day edition of the Daily Digest …

• DAILY DIGEST, weekend edition: With drought looming, farmers focus on water savings; Former EPA regional administrator Jared Blumenfeld starts a podcast series; Deep in the Grand Canyon, scientists struggle to bring back the bugs; and more …
• DAILY DIGEST, President’s Day edition: State to ban wasteful uses of water, but it won’t actually save that much; Snow, record cold to plunge southward through Western US; Low snow shuts down Eastern Sierra winter recreation zone; Orange County sets Guinness record for recycled water; and more …

Also on Maven’s Notebook today …

• THE DELTA AND THE TRIBUTARIES, part 1: How the health of the headwaters affects California’s water system
• NEWS WORTH NOTING: AquAlliance: Courts say 10-year water transfer program failed analysis and disclosure; Draft progress report on AB 1755 implementation now available; OC Agencies set world record for most wastewater recycled into drinking water in 24 hrs
• BLOG ROUND-UP: Cal Water Fix’s time is now; Cal Water Fix cost-benefit analysis: Another incomplete, inaccurate chapter; For California water managers, establishing new traditions takes time; Drought forever!; and more …

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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.