In California water news this weekend, Frazier urges Delta council to reject tunnels project certification; Delta caucus objects to federal loan to support tunnels project; ‘No magic shortcuts’ to fix California’s water system, Trump memo could help GOP; Ukiah water official calls Potter Valley Project a ‘huge’ deal for Ukiah Valley and beyond; Project focuses on forest thinning in the Mokelumne River watershed; Flood of distrust: A deep dive into San Diego’s water department; and more …
In the news this weekend …
Frazier urges Delta council to reject tunnels project certification: “A Solano County state representative has asked that the Delta Stewardship Council reject the Department of Water Resources’ Certification of Consistency for the state’s twin-tunnels project. Assemblyman Jim Frazier, D-Discovery Bay, made the request during a Delta Stewardship Council meeting to, as he states in a press release, protect the Delta and its residents. … ” Read more from the Daily Republic here: Frazier urges Delta council to reject tunnels project certification
Delta caucus objects to federal loan to support tunnels project: “Members of California’s Legislative Delta Caucus, including its co-chairmen, Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, and Assemblymember Jim Frazier, D-Discovery Bay, sent a letter Friday to the Environmental Protection Agency objecting to a $1.6 billion loan for construction of the state’s controversial twin tunnels project on the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta known as WaterFix. “This project poses devastating environmental consequences for the state’s most important waterway while threatening the economic vitality of the entire region,” said Dodd, one of nine lawmakers to sign the letter. … ” Read more from the Daily Democrat here: Delta caucus objects to federal loan to support tunnels project
‘No magic shortcuts’ to fix California’s water system, Trump memo could help GOP: “Water isn’t a liberal or conservative issue – it’s the issue in the Central Valley and in many parts of California. Upward of 98 percent of voters in the south Valley said water is an important issue to them when deciding who to vote for this midterm election, according to a recent UC Berkeley poll. Only the economy, 99 percent, scored higher. President Donald Trump addressed those voters’ concerns directly last week when he signed his Western Water Memorandum, flanked by several Republican congressmen, many of whom are facing the toughest reelection bids of their careers. … ” Read more from the Visalia Times-Delta here: ‘No magic shortcuts’ to fix California’s water system, Trump memo could help GOP
Valadao, supervisors commend president’s water memo: “After six years and numerous legislative attempts to restore water deliveries to the Central Valley, Congressman David Valadao (R-Hanford) joined Central Valley representatives on Oct. 19 as President Donald Trump signed an Executive Memorandum promoting the reliable supply and delivery of water in California and the entire western United States. “After years of fighting obstruction from California senators, this executive action is a giant leap toward reducing regulatory burdens and improving water deliveries to California’s Central Valley. I am proud our efforts have effectuated such substantial progress,” Valadao said in a released statement following the signing. “With a reliable water supply, we can restore fallowed fields into fertile farmland, put Californians back to work and give all Central Valley families the opportunity they deserve.” … ” Read more from the Hanford Sentinel here: Valadao, supervisors commend president’s water memo
What the President’s water memo means for Modesto’s water and power: “While the president’s water policy memo has been noted as significant, it is only one step of several before those impacts are potentially felt by water customers. In the Modesto area, Turlock Irrigation District (TID) and Modesto Irrigation District (MID) provide water and power to thousands, and, while it’s still early, the memorandum is considered to be significant step forward in showing the importance of California’s water issues. “While the specific impacts of the memo are being reviewed, it is clear that considerable federal hurdles have been lifted,” said MID spokesperson Samantha Wookey. “We are hopeful this move may ultimately allow for a streamlined FERC (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) relicensing process that will significantly benefit our customers, Stanislaus County, and the greater region both economically and environmentally.” ... ” Read more from ABC 10 here: What the President’s water memo means for Modesto’s water and power
Upgrading aging, inadequate water systems of rural California will elevate entire state: “Clean and reliable water is essential to the health and well-being of families, communities, industries, agriculture and the overall economy of California. Unfortunately, for many rural communities, providing access to this critical resource can be a challenge. Over the years, cities and large metropolitan areas have been able, through their sizeable customer bases and economies of scale, to finance and build drinking water and wastewater systems that meet the needs of growing populations, serve growing economies, and satisfy an array of environmental and public safety requirements. Unlike their urban counterparts, however, rural communities have small and dispersed populations. ... ” Read more from California Forward here: Upgrading aging, inadequate water systems of rural California will elevate entire state
Water out of thin air: California couple’s device wins $1.5 million: “It started out modestly enough: David Hertz, having learned that under the right conditions you really can make your own water out of thin air, put a little contraption on the roof of his office and began cranking out free bottles of H2O for anyone who wanted one. Soon he and his wife, Laura Doss-Hertz, were thinking bigger — so much so that this week the couple won the $1.5 million XPrize For Water Abundance. They prevailed by developing a system that uses shipping containers, wood chips and other detritus to produce as much as 528 gallons of water a day at a cost of no more than 2 cents a quart. … ” Read more from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat here: Water out of thin air: California couple’s device wins $1.5 million
In commentary this weekend …
Brown’s successor can do much better on the environment. Here’s how. Kathryn Phillips writes, “Jerry Brown helped start a green revolution in California when he was governor in the 1970s and 1980s. Since his election in 2010, Brown has continued to move that revolution along. But his latest shade of green has been muddier. Experience as he began his final two terms may have shaded his vision. Or grave concerns about the state’s fiscal stability may have made him more cautious than some hoped. Or it may be that the state and its environmental challenges are just more complicated than ever. Whatever the cause, the governor deserves credit for some advances and criticism for some avoidable mistakes. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee here: Brown’s successor can do much better on the environment. Here’s how.
In regional news and commentary this weekend …
Ukiah water official calls Potter Valley Project a ‘huge’ deal for Ukiah Valley and beyond: “At its last meeting, the Ukiah City Council approved spending $20,000 to begin exploring a potential purchase of the Potter Valley Project, a hydroelectric dam that Pacific Gas and Electric recently announced it wants to sell. “This is a big deal, for a lot of people and a lot of communities,” said Council member Jim Brown at the Oct. 17 meeting. “The economic impact it could have is tremendous. We need to do everything we can to try and do the right thing, and I’m hoping the right thing is to preserve that project.” … ” Read more from the Ukiah Daily Journal here: Ukiah water official calls Potter Valley Project a ‘huge’ deal for Ukiah Valley and beyond
Project focuses on forest thinning in the Mokelumne River watershed: “Clusters of parched pines compete for water and nutrients throughout the South Fork (SF) Mokelumne River watershed near Glencoe. Pine needles rest atop a dense tangle of mountain misery blanketing the forest floor. An understory dense with manzanita looms above the shrubbery – ladder fuels to feed the dried canopy. … ” Read more from the Calaveras Enterprise here: Project focuses on forest thinning in the Mokelumne River watershed
San Benito: Community invited to first workshop on Groundwater Sustainability Plan: “The San Benito County Water District (SBCWD) is initiating a Groundwater Sustainability Plan in compliance with California’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. The plan is being done in partnership with the Santa Clara Valley Water District. The development of this plan, which is required to be in place by 2022, encourages community involvement and input, according to a recent press release. The public is invited to attend and participate in the first workshop, scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 14 from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Hollister Veterans’ Memorial Building, Room 218 at 649 San Benito Street in Hollister. Refreshments will be provided. … ” Read more from Benitolink here: San Benito: Community invited to first workshop on Groundwater Sustainability Plan
Santa Maria Switching to Groundwater During Water System Flushing: “The California Department of Water Resources will perform maintenance of the State Water distribution system pipeline, Nov. 2-19, during which time, the city of Santa Maria will provide 100 percent of the water supply from the groundwater basin. City water users may notice a difference in the water due to the hardness and mineral content in the groundwater. … ” Read more from Noozhawk here: Santa Maria Switching to Groundwater During Water System Flushing
Flood of distrust: A deep dive into San Diego’s water department: “What started as a trickle of billing complaints surged into a flash flood of allegations raised about the city of San Diego’s Water Department. NBC 7 Responds’ investigation into billing errors led to the discovery of faulty water meters and a lack of transparency over the city’s multi-million-dollar smart meter program. Some of the team’s findings have led to the department taking corrective action. “Flood of Distrust” will give you an inside look at the investigative journey from start to finish. … ” Read more from Channel 7 here: Flood of distrust: A deep dive into San Diego’s water department
Precipitation watch …
Light precipitation is expected tonight and Sunday over portions of NorCal. Heaviest precipitation will be along the coast with much lighter amounts working further inland.
Also on Maven’s Notebook this weekend …
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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.
Maven’s Notebook
where California water news never goes home for the weekend
