In California water news today, Delta a Flash Point for Conflict as Climate Change Unfolds; Would three California’s be good for ag?; State urges reporting of harmful algal blooms; As climate change zaps their snow, winter sports fans seek to change Washington; Work begins on $10 million Alameda Creek fish ladders; and more …
On the calendar today …
- The Central Valley Flood Protection Board meets beginning at 9:00am. Agenda items include Folsom Dam Raise Project Path Forward Briefing; Monthly Report of the Department of Water Resources; Subventions Briefing; and a CVFPP Implementation Update. Click here for agenda and webcast link.
- The Department of Water Resources will hold a SGMA Assistance Workshop by webcast at 1pm. Click here for more information and to register.
In the news today …
Delta a Flash Point for Conflict as Climate Change Unfolds: “California’s Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is vital to water supplies for 25 million people and 4 million acres of farmland. It is linked to the Pacific Ocean via San Francisco Bay, which makes this water supply uniquely vulnerable to sea level rise. Yet understanding sea level rise in the Delta is complicated. The largest estuary on the West Coast of the Americas, it consists of some 70 islands and more than 1,000 miles of levees. It is also fed by California’s two largest rivers, which drain the Sierra Nevada range. All of this complicates how sea level rise “propagates” through the Delta. It also increases the urgency of the need to understand how changing weather patterns caused by climate change will affect streamflow through the estuary. ... ” Read more from Water Deeply here: California Delta a Flash Point for Conflict as Climate Change Unfolds
Would three California’s be good for ag? “Ranchers and farmers laugh when asked what they think of Cal 3, the proposal to split California into three states. The laughter is quickly followed by comments like that of Dave Doonan, 54, a Bishop, Calif., hay and cattle rancher: “That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard of. Then we’d have three screwed-up states.” California agriculture sees itself as “under attack by the Legislature and the governor” and the Cal 3 idea shows how “fractured” state leadership is and its “lack of vision for what California could be or should be,” says A.G. Kawamura, 61, secretary of agriculture under Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. He is co-owner of Orange County Produce in Irvine. … ” Read more from the Capital Press here: Would three California’s be good for ag?
State urges reporting of harmful algal blooms: “The Interagency Working Group on Harmful Algal Bloom Related Illnesses is highlighting resources for land and water resource managers to report harmful algal blooms (HABs), which they report are on the rise. A letter released by the working group earlier in April called attention to the upcoming HAB season and released contact information for reporting incidents. Water resource managers play a key role in warning the public about the dangers associated with local HABs in inland waters. These incidents have led to an increase in the public’s concern regarding potential health impacts to humans and animals, particularly dogs. … ” Read more from ACWA’s Water News here: State urges reporting of harmful algal blooms
As climate change zaps their snow, winter sports fans seek to change Washington: “A world-class snowboarder, former Navy SEAL Josh Jespersen served for four years in Afghanistan and Iraq. Last year, he set a single-winter record by climbing and boarding down all 54 of Colorado’s 14,000-foot peaks. When not chasing powder or working as a security guard, Jespersen takes wounded veterans on outdoor treks. Now he’s undertaking a different kind of expedition — urging mountain-state politicians to take seriously the threat of climate change, and working to vote them out of office if they don’t. … ” Read more from McClatchy DC here: As climate change zaps their snow, winter sports fans seek to change Washington
In regional news and commentary today …
Siskiyou County: Groundwater Basin Advisory Committees seek members: “The Siskiyou County Board of Supervisors recently took action to expand three Basin Advisory Committees for the Shasta Valley Groundwater Basin, Scott Valley Groundwater Basin and the Butte Valley Groundwater Basin. The board is seeking interested persons to serve on these Basin Advisory Committees for the purpose of developing Groundwater Sustainability Plans for each groundwater basin. The Siskiyou County Board of Supervisors recently took action to expand three existing Basin Advisory Committees for the Shasta Valley, Scott Valley and Butte Valley Groundwater Basins to include environmental/conservation and tribal representation. ... ” Read more from the Siskiyou Daily News here: Groundwater Basin Advisory Committees seek members
Work begins on $10 million Alameda Creek fish ladders: “Denied access to their natural spawning grounds in the Alameda Creek watershed for roughly 50 years, threatened fish species will soon be able to migrate upstream when two multi-million dollar fish ladders are completed. A groundbreaking for the first of two ladders — which have been in the conceptual and planning stages for 20 years — was held this week along the banks of Alameda Creek in Fremont with officials from the Alameda County Water District, as well as other local and state agencies present. … ” Read more from the East Bay Times here: Work begins on $10 million Alameda Creek fish ladders
San Jose: California Water makes unsolicited bid for San Jose Water’s owner: “The owner of California Water Service has made an unsolicited bid to buy the owner of San Jose Water, a takeover attempt revealed Thursday that pits the South Bay’s two principal water companies against each other. San Jose-based California Water Service Group has made an unsolicited $1.9 billion offer to buy San Jose-based SJW Group. That offer is much larger than a merger deal with Connecticut Water Service that SJW has already accepted. But SJW said Thursday that it plans to stick with the Connecticut Water Service deal, expressing skepticism about California Water’s buying interest turning into a viable offer. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News here: San Jose: California Water makes unsolicited bid for San Jose Water’s owner
Nevada Irrigation District pushes ahead with mercury removal project at Lake of the Pines: “The Nevada Irrigation District board of directors unanimously approved a $5.5 million agreement with the Department of Water Resources’ Riverine Stewardship Program for the Combie Sediment and Mercury Removal Project. The Combie project is a pilot water supply maintenance project that removes sediment from the reservoir while extracting mercury using an innovative centrifuge technology. This pilot project is estimated to take three to four years to complete. … ” Read more from the Union Democrat here: Nevada Irrigation District pushes ahead with mercury removal project at Lake of the Pines
Eastern Sierra update on water: “For everyone waiting with baited breath to see if Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and Inyo County could agree on issues related to wells and mitigation at Five Bridges, you’ll have to wait another week. … ” Read more from Sierra Wave here: Eastern Sierra update on water
Santa Barbara: Town hall jumble: “Wednesday night’s town hall conversation on Santa Barbara’s survival in the time of climate change ran along parallel tracks of thought that jumped occasionally but never quite met. The issues were both broad — what will the future bring? what should we do now? — and specific — how will Montecito rebuild? don’t vote for Prop. 70 — and the answers plentiful. But by the end, the question they were answering was definitely somewhere out there; I just couldn’t find it. The talk had been about fire, flood, drought, and social justice — all dire, all imminent, altogether confusing. But maybe it was my notes, which were scribbled in the dark during the two-hour meeting. … ” Read more from the Santa Barbara Independent here: Santa Barbara: Town hall jumble
Deadly waters: California Aqueduct drownings renew safety concerns in San Bernardino County’s high desert: “Tchaikovsky’s “Waltz of the Flowers” played on the car stereo, lulling a weary Kevin Cabrera to sleep as he drove north on Highway 395 in the pitch black Mojave Desert near Victorville around 2:30 a.m. Feb. 20. Then, a hard bump, violent jolt and a loud crash. Cabrera woke up just as his 2012 Honda Civic LX careened down an embankment and plunged into the frigid water of the California Aqueduct. The windshield cracked when the car hit the water and started sinking. … ” Read more from the San Bernardino Sun here: Deadly waters: California Aqueduct drownings renew safety concerns in San Bernardino County’s high desert
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.
