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 …

In California water news this weekend, With drought looming, farmers focus on water savings; Scott River Watershed Council meeting informational meeting is February 23; Asbestos mitigation working at Oroville Spillway; Mendocino County updates Redwood Valley residents on water infrastructure projects; What a dry 2018 will mean to Stanislaus County farmers and homeowners; Deep in the Grand Canyon, Scientists Struggle to Bring Back the Bugs; and more …

In the news this weekend …

With drought looming, farmers focus on water savings:  “During last year’s World Ag Expo, Greg Creson noticed the number of people visiting his Water Made Right booth was a bit light compared to previous few years.  Not that the Tulare-based sales representative was surprised coming off of a wet winter. Creson’s company makes sulfur burners to improve the ph balance of soil, which allows it to absorb water better, so farmers waste less.  Simply put, many farmers, ranchers and others who had been so desperate to look at water-saving technology during the drought years were ready to take a break last year and were hopeful that last year’s highly wet winter would be followed by a few more. … ”  Read more from The Business Journal here:  With drought looming, farmers focus on water savings

Former EPA regional administrator Jared Blumenfeld starts a podcast series: His first guest is first guest is Gina McCarthy, EPA’s Chief under President Obama.  Click here for more info and to download podcast.

Deep in the Grand Canyon, scientists struggle to bring back the bugs: “The Grand Canyon sneaks up on you. A mile deep, and miles across, it virtually conceals the river that formed it — the Colorado, nested behind rims of canyons within canyons, sitting all alone as a ribbon of water amid the arid Arizona wasteland.  At the break of dawn one day in early summer, I was packing to descend into this geologic gorge, meet a group of scientists somewhere along the river, and spend a week with them while they did whatever it was they were doing. My last-minute instructions were to bring a backpack full of motorboat propellers and an inordinate quantity of cheese-in-a-can. The scientists were emphatic that both of these were essential to their work. … ” Read more from Undark here:  Deep in the Grand Canyon, Scientists Struggle to Bring Back the Bugs

In columns this weekend …

David Little: An Oroville newsman tried to warn us:  “Fifty-four years ago, Dan Beebe wrote that the state was cutting corners on construction at Oroville Dam to the point it “might become a slip-shod boondoggle … and unsafe, as well.”  Beebe’s words drew an angry response from Gov. Brown (Pat, not Jerry) and the state Department of Water Resources, shades of current events. But, as Butte County Supervisor Bill Connelly of Oroville told me last week, “Dan Beebe was right.”  Beebe died 45 years ago. He would take no joy in being right. He was just a newsman trying to do his job. … ”  Read more from the Chico Enterprise-Record here:  David Little: An Oroville newsman tried to warn us

Michael Fitzgerald: This river rat we don’t want in the Delta:  “Into every life a little rain must fall, but giant Argentine swamp rats? Really?  The nutria — Myocastor coypus, a semi-aquatic South American rodent which can grow to 20 pounds, has been found upstream of the Delta, and may already be in it.  I try not to demonize Nature’s creatures — you know, Lassie good, weasel bad — but the nutria is not just any invasive species. The nutria is a scourge.  If nutria (also called coypus; whatever) migrate to the Delta from the watery parts of Stanislaus County, where a small colony has been discovered, this is what they’ll do: … ”  Continue reading at the Stockton Record here:  Fitzgerald: This river rat we don’t want in the Delta

In regional news and commentary this weekend …

Scott River Watershed Council meeting informational meeting is February 23:  “There is a lot happening in the Scott River watershed when it comes to natural resources. Staying informed and involved is an important element for any rural community’s ability to effectively understand and address all the complex issues that surround working landscapes. The Scott River Watershed Council is committed to providing community outreach and educational opportunities that bring people together to help facilitate collaboration and good stewardship, stated a press release from the SRWC. … ”  Read more from the Siskiyou Daily News here: Scott River Watershed Council meeting informational meeting is February 23

Asbestos mitigation working at Oroville Spillway:  “Efforts to keep asbestos under control at the Oroville Dam spillway reconstruction site appear to have worked, according to information from the Butte County Air Quality Management District.  After the main spillway broke up, investigators found it had been constructed partially on actinolite, a mineral that contains asbestos.  That triggered a series of protocols to keep down dust that could carry the naturally occurring asbestos into the lungs of workers or the public. Inhalation of asbestos fibers can cause fatal lung diseases. … ”  Read more from the Chico Enterprise-Record here:  Asbestos mitigation working at Oroville Spillway

Mendocino County updates Redwood Valley residents on water infrastructure projects:  “The Redwood Valley Municipal Advisory Council held its February meeting on Wednesday to discuss fire recovery progress and to update residents on Dollar General development in Redwood Valley.  Tammy Moss Chandler, the recovery director from the Mendocino County Executive Office, updated residents on water infrastructure recovery projects. The fire damaged mainline water infrastructure throughout Redwood Valley, and the county is working on updating the infrastructure to modern day building codes to make it more resilient. … ”  Read more from the Ukiah Daily Journal here:  Mendocino County updates Redwood Valley residents on water infrastructure projects

North San Joaquin County Water Conservation District hosts Lodi workshop on groundwater project: “Lodi farmers and other community members gathered in Jackson Hall at the Lodi Grape Festival Grounds on Thursday evening to learn more about North San Joaquin Water Conservation District’s latest project.  Along with the San Joaquin County Public Works Department and the League of Women Voters, NSJWCD hosted the workshop to inform the public about their South System Groundwater Improvement Project. Jane Wagner-Tyack, a League of Women Voters board member, welcomed the guests to the event, saying that while she could not express support for the project itself, the league does support the 2014 Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, which gave NSJWCD the power to propose the project. … ”  Read more from the Lodi News-Sentinel here: North San Joaquin County Water Conservation District hosts Lodi workshop on groundwater project

Workers undertake annual maintenance at Woodbridge Dam:  “Six men, clad in long-sleeve shirts and waterproof rubber boots, worked systematically Friday afternoon down the line of 10 large air bladders, stacked two bladders high, five in a row, at the Woodbridge Dam.  After clearing up the silt that had gathered on the floor of the plunge pool in which the air bladders are located, the work had moved on to cleaning, inspecting and patching the 14-foot long, 4.5-foot tall rubber bladders, which hold the weight of Lodi Lake on their shoulders. … ”  Read more from the Lodi News Sentinel here:  Workers undertake annual maintenance at Woodbridge Dam

What a dry 2018 will mean to Stanislaus County farmers and homeowners:  “Irrigation season was delayed in 2017 as storm after storm kept farm and garden soil moist.  Fast-forward to 2018, which has started out very dry and brought calls to fill the canals early.  So are we back to serious drought in the Northern San Joaquin Valley, which endured one from 2012 to 2016? Not yet in most places, thanks to reservoirs and groundwater bolstered by last year’s record rain and snow. … ”  Read more from the Modesto Bee here:  What a dry 2018 will mean to Stanislaus County farmers and homeowners

Last year, all eyes were on the Don Pedro spillway as nervous Modesto waited:  “A year ago Tuesday, the spillway opened at Don Pedro Reservoir for only the second time in its 47-year history. The operators warned that the Tuolumne River could rise as much as 10 feet in Modesto as the water rushed down.  That would be 6 feet short of the disaster of 1997, when about 1,400 homes in Stanislaus County were flooded. But it still threatened to soak trailer parks and other sites along the river.  Emergency workers urged people to evacuate riverside homes. Dairy farmers made plans to move cattle to higher ground if needed. At the spillway near La Grange, TV crews stood ready, The Bee set up a livestream video, and officials watched from helicopter and drone. … ”  Read more from the Modesto Bee here:  Last year, all eyes were on the Don Pedro spillway as nervous Modesto waited

Santa Ynez, San Antonio areas moving forward on groundwater sustainability plans:  “Efforts to create sustainability plans for the Santa Ynez River Valley and San Antonio Creek Valley groundwater basins are moving forward with the help of state grants, according to a report from the county Water Agency.  Mandated by the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, the goal is to make sure Santa Barbara County’s aquifers are wisely managed to assure they will provide the water supplies needed by future generations.  The status of the groundwater sustainability agency in charge of developing a plan for the San Antonio Creek basin and the three agencies preparing plans for the Santa Ynez River aquifer was included in a report presented to the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors by Matt Young, water resources program manager. … ”  Read more from the Santa Ynez Valley News here:  Santa Ynez, San Antonio areas moving forward on groundwater sustainability plans

Indian Wells Valley: Water fees discussed at Thursday Groundwater Authority meeting:  “At its January meeting, the Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority directed its staff to develop a plan for introducing water fees to pumping in the Indian Wells Valley. These fees would go towards funding IWVGA as it works towards its state-mandated goal of developing a Groundwater Sustainability Plan by 2020.  At IWVGA’s February meeting on Thursday, IWVGA attorney and IWV Water District legal counsel Jim Worth gave the IWVGA board an update on the planning process for the fees. … ”  Read more from the Ridgecrest Independent here:  Water fees discussed at Thursday Groundwater Authority meeting

Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority data management system nears completion:  “At its board meeting on Thursday, the Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority received a presentation on the progress of the data management system being developed by Stetson Engineers Inc., the firm acting as their Water Resources Manager. Implementing a data management system is necessary for IWVGA to comply with California state’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. … ”  Read more from the Ridgecrest Independent here:  Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority data management system nears completion

Along the Colorado River …

Deep in the Grand Canyon, Scientists Struggle to Bring Back the Bugs: “The Grand Canyon sneaks up on you. A mile deep, and miles across, it virtually conceals the river that formed it — the Colorado, nested behind rims of canyons within canyons, sitting all alone as a ribbon of water amid the arid Arizona wasteland.  At the break of dawn one day in early summer, I was packing to descend into this geologic gorge, meet a group of scientists somewhere along the river, and spend a week with them while they did whatever it was they were doing. My last-minute instructions were to bring a backpack full of motorboat propellers and an inordinate quantity of cheese-in-a-can. The scientists were emphatic that both of these were essential to their work. … ” Read more from Undark here:  Deep in the Grand Canyon, Scientists Struggle to Bring Back the Bugs

We must act now to protect the future of the Colorado River, urges Ted Kowalski: The Colorado River is the hardest-working river in the Southwest and an economic engine for the entire country.  But it is also a river facing a critical inflection point. Every drop of water that flows down the Colorado is already accounted for and due to a variety of factors — including a growing population and a changing climate — its flows are projected to decline over the next several decades.  These challenges exacerbate the fundamental problem facing the river: Demands on water outstrip supply. … ”  Read more from the Arizona Daily Star here:  We must act now to protect the future of the Colorado River

Precipitation watch …

A few inches of snow will be possible across interior Northern CA mountains today into Monday.

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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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