DAILY DIGEST: Freeing up fish: The effort to remove barriers to spawning sites; As marijuana industry explodes, some shift to water conservation; Slideshow: How ‘white blobs’ and other species invaded CA waters; U.S. climate change policy: Made in California

In California water news today, Freeing up fish: The effort to remove barriers to spawning sites; As marijuana industry explodes, some shift to water conservation; How ‘white blobs’ and other species invaded California waters; U.S. climate change policy: Made in California

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On the calendar today …

  • The State Water Resources Control Board meets beginning at 9:30am. Agenda items include consideration of adoption of the state Revolving Fund Debt Management Policy for revolving fund programs, consideration of approval of the Clean Water Act section 303*d( listing for LA region and the integrated report, and a public hearing on the Proposed Statewide General Order for Discharges from Hydrostatic Testing of Natural Gas Pipelines and Related Activities.  Click here for the full agendaClick here to watch on webcast.
  • Storm Water – An Untapped Resource for Adaptation to Climate Change from 6pm to 7:30pm: The Northern California chapter of the AWWA hosts Vice Chair of the State Water Resources Control Board Steve Moore. who will discuss how the State Water Board and partner agencies are promoting this new approach to managing storm water and how this untapped resource can provide multiple benefits as we adapt to the effects of climate change.  Click here for more information.  You do not have to be a member to attend.

In the news today …

Freeing up fish: The effort to remove barriers to spawning sites:  “As a child growing up in the East Bay, Jeff Miller loved seeing salmon in Lagunitas Creek when he visited Point Reyes. “I was inspired to restore migratory fish in the Bay Area,” he recalled. Miller ultimately chose Alameda Creek, which is the biggest local tributary to the San Francisco Bay and once had both salmon and steelhead trout.  Collectively known as salmonids, salmon and steelhead are born in freshwater, spend much of their lives in the ocean, and then return to freshwater to spawn. Because they depend on marine as well as inland environments, healthy populations of salmonids reflect healthy coastal ecosystems. … ”  Read more from The Bay Area Monitor here:  Freeing up fish: The effort to remove barriers to spawning sites

As marijuana industry explodes, some shift to water conservation:  “Marijuana is becoming big business around the West as more states legalize the plant’s cultivation for recreational purposes. California’s entry into the field, which becomes official on January 1, is certain to bring an explosion of cannabis-related commerce simply because of the size of its market.  All this poses a vital question: How much will marijuana tax the West’s water supplies?  No one knows the answer to that yet, but some in the industry are already working diligently to slash marijuana’s water footprint. Marijuana is known to be a thirsty crop, but much of that depends on how it’s grown. ... ”  Read more from Water Deeply here:  As marijuana industry explodes, some shift to water conservation

Slideshow: How ‘white blobs’ and other species invaded California waters:  “It was early morning at the Peter’s Landing Marina in Huntington Beach. Walking among the boaters was marine biologist Andy Chang.  He’d only been there a little while, but he’d already found something interesting. He pointed to the harbor wall — a gray concrete slab across from the boat docks.  “First thing I saw when I came in here was all of these giant … sort of shelly, white blobs on the seawall,” he said. These white blobs are the introduced Japanese oyster. It’s an invasive species first introduced here by cargo ships, but now they’ve spread to recreational harbors like Peter’s Landing. Chang was surprised to see how many of them are splayed across the harbor wall. “It was just sort of a stark reminder of what we’re here to do,” Chang said.  … ”  Read more from KPCC here:  How ‘white blobs’ and other species invaded California waters

U.S. climate change policy: Made in California: “The Trump administration may appear to control climate policy in Washington, but the nation’s most dynamic environmental regulator is here in California.  Mary D. Nichols, California’s electric-car-driving, hoodie-wearing, 72-year-old air quality regulator, is pressing ahead with a far-reaching agenda of environmental and climate actions. She says she will not let the Trump administration stand in her way.  As chairwoman of the California Air Resources Board, or CARB, Ms. Nichols is the de facto enforcer of the single biggest step the United States has taken to combat the effects of climate change: standards adopted under the Obama administration that mandate a deep cut in emissions from the 190 million passenger cars on America’s roads. Together, those vehicles regularly emit more earth-warming gases than the country’s power plants. ... ”  Read more from the New York Times here:  U.S. climate change policy: Made in California

In commentary today …

San Diego’s filthy water woes: Enough is enough, says the San Diego Union-Tribune: They write, “The pollution coming from the Tijuana region that has fouled the waters and beaches of San Diego County shouldn’t be accepted as the price of living next door to a nation with weaker environmental enforcement than the United States. That’s why area residents should welcome news that the Port of San Diego, Imperial Beach and Chula Vista have filed a notice of intent to sue the federal government for failing to address the problem adequately. … ”  Continue reading at the San Diego Union Tribune here:  San Diego’s filthy water woes: Enough is enough

Also on Maven’s Notebook today …

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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.

 

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