DAILY DIGEST: Who controls the water supply? The answer involves a long history of political strife; CA Attorney General opposes Trump Administration’s attempt to suspend the Clean Water Rule; Fish to benefit if large dams adopt new operating approach; and more …

In California water news today, Who controls the water supply? The answer involves a long history of political strife; CA Attorney General opposes Trump Administration’s attempt to suspend the Clean Water Rule; How craft breweries are embracing new water technologies; Fish to benefit if large dams adopt new operating approach; Humboldt Community Services District looks at Indianola expansions; Bay Area forecast: As dry December reigns, a chance of rain this week

In the news today …

Who controls the water supply?  The answer involves a long history of political strife:  “A Native American tribe in northern California was appalled last month when Shasta County demanded an extra $1,000 in penalties for their water bill.  Thirty members of the Winnemem Wintu Tribe, ranging in age from 1 to 70 years old, live in a cluster of trailers on 42 acres of land that is zoned for a single household. The community typically pays about $200 for water every two months.  After decades of surviving private and government takeovers of their land, they set up a community in a village the tribe calls Tuimayalii, in the Jones Valley of Shasta County. ... ”  Read more from PBS News Hour here:  Who controls the water supply?  The answer involves a long history of political strife

California Attorney General opposes Trump Administration’s illegal attempt to suspend the Clean Water Rule:  “Attorney General Xavier Becerra filed his strong opposition to the Trump Administration’s illegal attempt to suspend for two years the 2015 Clean Water Rule, which would protect California’s lakes, rivers, and streams from pollutants. After seeking to repeal the Clean Water Rule earlier this year and receiving more than 680,000 comments in response, the Administration is now attempting to move forward with this suspension in order to both prevent the application of the Rule and to work on promulgating a less protective replacement in the meantime. The Clean Water Rule was developed using a science-based approach to clarify the definition of “waters of the United States” in the federal Clean Water Act. Federal law prohibits the discharge of pollutants into “waters of the United States.”  … ”  Read more from the Sierra Sun Times here:  California Attorney General opposes Trump Administration’s illegal attempt to suspend the Clean Water Rule

How craft breweries are embracing new water technologies:  “At the Other Half Brewery Company in Brooklyn on a frigid morning in January 2017, hundreds of people waited in line at dawn to buy the latest India pale ale, although the brewery wouldn’t open until 10 a.m. Across the United States, craft beer enthusiasts wait like this for hours, or even camp out, to purchase six-packs of a limited-edition offering from a favorite brewery, even though each bottle may cost as much as a bottle of fine wine.  Since 1980, the number of breweries in the U.S. has blown up from fewer than 100 to more than 5,300 thanks to the growth of small, independent breweries. These craft breweries are an integral part of a larger cultural movement that includes their smaller cousins, microbreweries and brewpubs. ... ”  Read more from Water Deeply here:  How craft breweries are embracing new water technologies

Fish to benefit if large dams adopt new operating approach:  “Dams and fish have never been best friends.  Thousands of dams built along U.S. rivers and streams over the last century now provide electricity for homes, store water for agriculture and support recreation for people. But they also have significant downstream impacts: They reduce the amount and change the timing of flowing water that fish rely on for spawning, feeding and migration.  Recognizing that many large dams are here to stay, a University of Washington team is investigating an emerging solution to help achieve freshwater conservation goals by re-envisioning the ways in which water is released by dams. The hope is that “designer flows” downstream from dams can be tailored to meet the water needs of humans while simultaneously promoting the success of native fishes over undesirable invasive fish species. ... ”  Read more from the University of Washington here:  Fish to benefit if large dams adopt new operating approach

More news and commentary in the weekend edition …

In regional news and commentary today …

Humboldt Community Services District looks at Indianola expansions: “The Humboldt Community Services District Board of Directors is looking into expanding water services in the Indianola area along Old Arcata Road between Arcata and Eureka, but area residents have expressed concerns over water services being the first step of urbanizing their beloved rural community.  The district’s general manager David Hull said this issue dates back two decades.  “The residents, landowners out in the Indianola area, were having problems with their wells,” he said.  … ”  Read more from the Eureka Times-Standard here:  Humboldt Community Services District looks at Indianola expansions

Scientists working to protect Lake Tahoe:  “Another year has come and gone at Lake Tahoe, and it was no ordinary year. We had one of the most extreme winters of snow on record. Lake levels came up 7 feet in a few months and thin ribbons of sand replaced the wide beaches of the last few years. Long forgotten seasonal springs re-emerged on hillsides and wildflowers seemed to last all summer.  Other things about the lake were different too. While the annual record is still being collected and analyzed, early indications are that we are experiencing conditions not seen before, be it high lake temperature or different floating algae. What is science doing to understand and control the changes in the lake and in the forests? … ”  Read more from Lake Tahoe News here:  Scientists working to protect Lake Tahoe

Bay Area forecast: As dry December reigns, a chance of rain this week:  “As California endures one of the driest Decembers in decades, a storm system may deliver rain to the northern part of the state and snow to the Sierra Nevada beginning Tuesday night.  The quick-moving moving system is expected to deliver as much as a half-inch of rain to the Bay Area, with the highest totals expected in the North Bay, according to Will Pi, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.  “There’s a pretty good chance of rain,” Pi said. “It’s not going to be a big storm; just enough moisture to give us a little bit of rain in the area.” … ”  Read more from the San Jose Mercury News here:  Bay Area forecast: As dry December reigns, a chance of rain this week

Precipitation watch …

From the National Weather Service: A fast-moving weather system will bring a quick shot of precipitation to the region Tuesday night into Wednesday. Travel impacts will be possible across the northern Sierra Nevada beginning late Tuesday night and continuing through much of Wednesday.”

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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