In California water news today, Rains good for ending wildfire danger, but bad for toxic runoff in burn zones; Can a new Salton Sea plan fend off ecological and human disasters?; Humboldt County residents pick brains of Klamath dam removal project leads; Oroville Dam coalition, politicians say DC lobbying trip a success; Lead contamination at 10 Oakland schools prompts new round of water tests; South Bay student team tackles water wasting at LEGO tournament; Recycled water on tap for Gustine-area growers; Show of support for Owens River water trail; Southern California ranch land to be turned into public beach; San Diego: Neighbors upset senate bill will fund a campground and not a fix for pollution
In the news today …
Rains good for ending wildfire danger, but bad for toxic runoff in burn zones: “The recent rain that put a welcome end to wildfire season in badly burned Northern California has a downside: toxic runoff. Though no major problems have been reported in the Wine Country, which was hit this week with its biggest storm since last month’s deadly fires, hundreds of workers are on the ground to prevent the remnants of scorched homes and hillsides from washing into creeks and reservoirs — and ultimately the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay. ... ” Read more from SF Gate here: Rains good for ending wildfire danger, but bad for toxic runoff in burn zones
Can a new Salton Sea plan fend off ecological and human disasters? “As the Salton Sea shrinks, California’s problems grow. The 350 square-mile (900 sq km) saline lake in the southeastern corner of the state contains no outlet and is sustained by irrigation runoff. Inflows have been decreasing for a number of reasons, but since 2003 the biggest factor has been a transfer of agricultural water from neighboring Imperial Valley to San Diego County for urban use. Decreased flows into the sea mean more exposed, dry lakebed to be whipped around by desert winds, creating health hazards for the 650,000 people who live nearby. Reduced inflows also mean increased salinity, which is bad for sustaining the marine life on which millions of migrating birds depend. ... ” Read more from Water Deeply here: Can a new Salton Sea plan fend off ecological and human disasters?
In regional news and commentary today …
Humboldt County residents pick brains of Klamath dam removal project leads: “The Klamath River is the site of what could be the largest dam removal project in the nation’s history, but there are still several hurdles to jump before the dams come down and many more if they do. Fortuna resident Neil Palmer was one of more than 40 people who attended an open house at Eureka’s Adorni Center on Thursday evening to learn more about the now 7-year-old project. Identifying as an avid kayaker and environmental buff, Palmer said he also owns a cabin on the south fork Trinity River where he is able to see spring-run salmon runs. ... ” Read more from the Eureka Times-Standard here: Humboldt County residents pick brains of Klamath dam removal project leads
Oroville Dam coalition, politicians say DC lobbying trip a success: “Representatives for Oroville and downstream communities affected by the spillway crisis said they got the attention they were seeking in Washington this week. Sen. Jim Nielsen, Assemblyman James Gallagher, and members of the Oroville Dam Coalition are seeking federal assistance on issues relating to the dam they say need to be resolved. They met with commissioners of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and representatives for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. … ” Read more from the Chico Enterprise-Record here: Oroville Dam coalition, politicians say DC lobbying trip a success
Lead contamination at 10 Oakland schools prompts new round of water tests: “A new round of water quality testing began Thursday morning at 86 public schools in Oakland after lead contamination was found in plumbing fixtures at 10 campuses in the city, officials said. The Oakland Unified School District and the East Bay Municipal Utility District are evaluating the quality of “high-use water sources” such as faucets and fountainheads. Teams began taking water samples Thursday morning to check if lead was present in water sitting in pipes or fixtures overnight, district officials said. … ” Read more from SF Gate here: Lead contamination at 10 Oakland schools prompts new round of water tests
South Bay student team tackles water wasting at LEGO tournament: “The “Savage Cabbages” team from Los Gatos is headed to this weekend’s First LEGO League qualification tournament, where it will participate in the league’s 2017 Hydro Dynamics Challenge. The eight-member team—six students from Daves Avenue Elementary and two Fisher Middle School students—have studied actions people can take to stop wasting cold water while waiting for hot water. Team members researched the water waste problem, developed water-saving solutions and built a robot that will participate in First LEGO League “Robot Games” being held at various locations in Northern California this month. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News here: South Bay student team tackles water wasting at LEGO tournament
Recycled water on tap for Gustine-area growers: “An innovative project which will recycle treated urban wastewater for irrigation use in West Side fields and orchards along the I-5 corridor is nearing completion. The first phase of the North Valley Regional Recycled Water Program is nearing completion, and water should be flowing to the Del Puerto Water District by the end of the calendar year, according to the district’s general manager Anthea Hansen. “We are still working on the scheduling and the timing, but it looks like we will take our first official deliveries in January,” Hansen told Mattos Newspapers. ... ” Read more from Westside Connect here: Recycled water on tap for Gustine-area growers
Show of support for Owens River water trail: “The Owens River Water Trail may have taken a step closer to reality. We’ve said that quite a few times and maybe this time it’s more than just blind optimism. Representatives from Team River Runner in San Diego, the LA River Expedition, Sierra Club, Owens Valley Committee and the instigator of the trail, Eastern Sierra Waterways Project addressed the Los Angeles Department of Water and Powers Commissioners at its meeting Tuesday, urging the department to sign off on the environmental consultant agreement that’s been holding up the project for the last year. … ” Read more from the Sierra Wave here: Show of support for Owens River water trail
Southern California ranch land to be turned into public beach: “The California Coastal Commission on Thursday agreed to carve a mile of public beach out of ranch land that has been in private hands for more than a century. The commission, which oversees coastal development, unanimously approved a deal that calls for the owners to fix damage to land they developed without permission and to transfer 36 acres (14.5 hectares) of coastal property to Santa Barbara County. It will be used to extend a current public park at remote Jalama Beach, 150 miles northwest of Los Angeles. ... ” Read more from KPCC here: Southern California ranch land to be turned into public beach
San Diego: Neighbors upset senate bill will fund a campground and not a fix for pollution: “Many residents living in and around the polluted Tijuana River Valley expressed frustration this week with a plan to use taxpayer money to fund a campground instead of working on a fix to the raw sewage pouring over the border from Mexico into San Diego County. California Senate Bill 507 was signed by Governor Jerry Brown last month and allotted $1.5 million towards a campground and only $500,000 to study potential fixes to the sewage. “It seems like it’s the bastard child of San Diego and it just sucks. It’s not fair,” said Ginger Sacco of the Citizens Against Sewage group. ... ” Read more from Channel 10 here: Neighbors upset senate bill will fund a campground and not a fix for pollution
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.
