DAILY DIGEST: A water year in review; Bizarre fish may be the key to preserving Yurok culture in CA; A clean sweep for invasive mussel biofouling; Despite abundant precip, Colorado River Basin not out of the woods yet”; Proof of concept for ocean trash cleaning machine; and more …

In California water news today, A water year in review: How has water shaped up for Sacramento and Northern California?; This bizarre prehistoric fish may be the key to preserving Yurok culture in California; A Clean Sweep for Invasive Mussel Biofouling; 18 GPS Garbage Trackers. One Lone Ship. 40 Tons Out of the Ocean. Proof of Concept; Debris continues to collect at Centimudi Boat Launch on Shasta Lake; Civil Grand Jury Dives Into Cachuma Water Disputes, ‘Outdated’ Contract; Even after a rush of snow and rain, the thirsty Colorado River Basin is “not out of the woods yet”; and more …

On the calendar today …

In the news today …

A water year in review: How has water shaped up for Sacramento and Northern California?  “As the 2018-19 water year came to a close Sunday, record-setting snowpack in the Sierras and above-average rain means several reservoirs are near full capacity heading into the dry summer months. Here’s a look at the past 12 months of California water. … ”  Read more from the Sacramento Bee here: A water year in review: How has water shaped up for Sacramento and Northern California?

This bizarre prehistoric fish may be the key to preserving Yurok culture in California:  “When Yurok citizen and biologist Keith Parker was a child, he fished for Pacific lamprey with his grandfather.  Late at night, the two crept down to the mouth of the Klamath River on California’s northern coast, their hand-carved wooden eel hooks in tow. Braving the lethally fast river, cold darkness and pouring rain, Parker speared lamprey out of the water as the fish swam near the edge of the shore.  For the Yurok tribe, fishing isn’t a recreational weekend activity to be paired with a cold beer. It’s a way of subsistence, a way of life. … ”  Read more from the Sacramento Bee here: This bizarre prehistoric fish may be the key to preserving Yurok culture in California

A Clean Sweep for Invasive Mussel Biofouling:  “The rapid proliferation of dreissena rostriformis bugensis—the quagga mussel—has major implications for power plant reliability. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation installed a groundbreaking solution at Parker Dam in Arizona that virtually eliminated the invasive species from hydropower cooling systems. Parker Dam is the winner of POWER’s 2019 Water Award. … ”  Click here to read more from Power Magazine here: A Clean Sweep for Invasive Mussel Biofouling

18 GPS Garbage Trackers. One Lone Ship. 40 Tons Out of the Ocean. Proof of Concept:  “The Ocean Voyages Institute has figured out how to pull 40 tons of “ghost” fishing nets and other plastic debris from the North Pacific Gyre. That’s a proof of concept that another cleanup effort, the multi-million dollar plastic boom, is still struggling to achieve.  Problem is, there are now an estimated 78,660 tons to go.  “I have certainly seen monster ghost (abandoned) nets,” said Mary Crowley, founder and director of the institute, “but there is mile after mile of laundry detergent bottles, bleach bottles, cartons — if we don’t change our ways by 2050, we will have much more plastic in the ocean than fish.” … ”  Read more from KQED here:  18 GPS Garbage Trackers. One Lone Ship. 40 Tons Out of the Ocean. Proof of Concept

In commentary today …

Preserve nature for future generations, say Charlie Schneider and Eric Leland:  They write, “Northern California offers some of the best trout fishing in the world. Why? Because California’s diverse climate, geography and ecology provide some of the best habitat for fish and wildlife anywhere. Much of this habitat is found on public lands.  Sportsmen and women in California have free or low-cost access to millions of acres of land and water that has been conserved and managed for their natural, recreational and resource values. This isn’t the case in much of the world or even on the East Coast of the United States. ... ”  Read more from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat here: Preserve nature for future generations

In regional news and commentary today …

Debris continues to collect at Centimudi Boat Launch on Shasta Lake:  “Its a battle between boaters and debris at Centimudi Bat Lunch in Shasta Lake.  Nearly two weeks ago, the U.S. Forest Service cleared out backed up debris blocking the boat ramp with a boom.  However, despite their best efforts that debris is back again, leaving many boaters disappointed that they’re unable to launch onto the lake. ... ”  Read more from KRCR here: Debris continues to collect at Centimudi Boat Launch on Shasta Lake

Oroville Dam Reopens To Public After Spillways Rebuilt:  “Oroville Dam is officially back open to the public two years after it was forced to close due to the failure of the dam’s main and emergency spillways.  People can now walk and bike the more than one-mile-long road across the dam crest. Public vehicles will still not be allowed.  Officials opened Oroville Dam’s main spillway in early April because of the melting Sierra snowpack and because of the heavy amounts of rain California experienced. ... ”  Read more from CBS Sacramento here: Oroville Dam Reopens To Public After Spillways Rebuilt

Stream improvement underway in Fortuna:  “Stream enhancement projects are now underway on two Fortuna Creeks with traffic restrictions in place near both on 12th Street and Fortuna Boulevard, respectively.  The Eureka office of GHD, an engineering consultant, helped design the projects on Rohner and Hillside creeks, which are the final pieces of a multi-process flood reduction and fish habitat improvement effort. … ”  Read more from the Times-Herald here:  Stream improvement underway in Fortuna

Seasonal dams rising on the Russian River:  “The summer recreational season is finally kicking into high gear with three seasonal dams going up on the Russian River, including two lower river dams substantially delayed by high flows that, until this week, made it unsafe for work crews to enter the stream.  The dam at Healdsburg Veterans Memorial Beach, installed by Sonoma County Regional Parks, went in first, and actually helped reduce the flow rate just enough to allow workers from the Russian River Recreation and Parks District to start prepping for their own dams at Johnson’s Beach and Vacation Beach in the Guerneville area. … ”  Read more from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat here:  Seasonal dams rising on the Russian River

North Bay water agency starts channel-clearing work:  “Crews have started a $4 million maintenance project along more than 40 streams in an annual chore aimed at reducing flood risk on dozens of small tributaries to the Russian and Petaluma rivers and San Pablo Bay.  Work began last week with brush clearing along the Laguna de Santa Rosa at Redwood Drive in Rohnert Park and along Washington Creek near the intersection of Sonoma Mountain Parkway and East Washington Street in Petaluma, kicking off a project that will continue through mid-October. ... ”  Read more from the Marin Independent Journal here: North Bay water agency starts channel-clearing work

Bay Area Beaches Rank Among Most Polluted In California:  “Four Bay Area beaches ranked among the most polluted in California, while Natural Bridges State Beach in Santa Cruz earned a spot as one of the least polluted beaches in the state, according to the annual report released this week by the environmental advocacy nonprofit Heal the Bay.  The organization tracks the harmful bacteria levels at 500 beaches in California and assigns a letter grade for summer dry, winter dry and wet weather conditions. … ”  Read more from Channel 5 here: Bay Area Beaches Rank Among Most Polluted In California

Civil Grand Jury Dives Into Cachuma Water Disputes, ‘Outdated’ Contract:  “A civilian watchdog panel called has upon several agencies to clear up muddy communications to help end spats among members receiving and distributing water as they move toward another 25-year deal for Lake Cachuma water.  On Friday, the Santa Barbara County Civil Grand Jury released the report titled “The Cachuma Contract and Management: Whiskey Is for Drinking — But MUST We Fight Over Water?”  The report includes nine recommendations ahead of plans to renew the 1995 contract between the Santa Barbara County Water Agency and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. ... ”  Read more from Noozhawk here: Civil Grand Jury Dives Into Cachuma Water Disputes, ‘Outdated’ Contract

Yucaipa Sustainable Groundwater Management Agency reaches out to the public: “The Yucaipa Sustainable Groundwater Management Agency, Yucaipa SGMA for short, hosted a meeting with local elected officials at the Yucaipa Performing Arts Center on June 19 to discuss public outreach regarding the plan for managing the local groundwater basin. The SGMA consists of the city of Redlands, the city of Yucaipa, San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District, San Gorgonio Pass Water Agency, South Mesa Water Company, South Mountain Water Company, Western Heights Water Company, and Yucaipa Valley Water District. … ”  Read more from the Yucaipa News Mirror here: Yucaipa Sustainable Groundwater Management Agency reaches out to the public

Editorial: Drip, drip, drip … Nestle controversy another case of ‘hurry up and wait’, says the Desert Sun:  They write, “We’ll go ahead and say it again: Why is this taking so long?  When it comes to Nestle Corp.’s harvesting of spring water for bottling from the nearby San Bernardino National Forest, it always seems that any final resolution of this long-running controversy is always somewhere in the future. … ”  Read more from the Desert Sun here: Editorial: Drip, drip, drip … Nestle controversy another case of ‘hurry up and wait’

San Diego: Contractors See Pure Water Case as a Test for Big Projects Across the Region:  “Scientists suspect hydrogen first met oxygen and formed water amid interstellar clouds as the earliest stars began to die, a billion years after the creation of our universe.  With that perspective in mind, the city of San Diego’s plan create a third of the city’s drinking water from recycled sewage isn’t taking that long. But it is definitely delayed.  That’s thanks to a dispute between non-union contractors and the city. … ”  Read more from the Voice of San Diego here: San Diego: Contractors See Pure Water Case as a Test for Big Projects Across the Region

Along the Colorado River …

Even after a rush of snow and rain, the thirsty Colorado River Basin is “not out of the woods yet”:  “Colorado’s water year has been extraordinary.  After nearly 20 years dominated by drought, a combination of heavy storms, persistent precipitation and cold temperatures conspired for a water bonanza not seen in decades.  Today, rivers are swollen, ample snow lingers in the mountains and the statewide snowpack sits at 3,700 percent of normal (just one of many eye-popping stats attributed to a later-than-normal runoff and summer snow). … ”  Read more from the Colorado Sun here: Even after a rush of snow and rain, the thirsty Colorado River Basin is “not out of the woods yet”

Big new reservoirs planned northeast of Denver would divert more of South Platte’s Nebraska-bound water to thirsty metro suburbs: “Colorado officials are planning to build multiple large reservoirs on the prairie northeast of Denver to capture more of the South Platte River’s Nebraska-bound water, then pump it back westward to booming metro suburbs struggling to wean themselves off dwindling underground aquifers.  They’re trying to prevent urban “buy-and-dry” of irrigated farmland and preserve rural communities across the South Platte Basin, which covers Colorado’s northeastern quadrant and ranks among the nation’s productive agricultural regions. ... ”  Read more from the Denver Post here: Big new reservoirs planned northeast of Denver would divert more of South Platte’s Nebraska-bound water to thirsty metro suburbs

Also on Maven’s Notebook today …

DAILY DIGEST, weekend edition: Avalanches in June? Heavy Sierra Snowpack Still Poses a Risk for Some Hikers; Lessons Learned from the State’s first Groundwater Sustainability Plan; Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) adds cutting-edge capabilities for Corps projects; and more …

NEWS WORTH NOTING: NGOs, conservation groups request posting of all comments and correspondence regarding Delta conveyance, water resilience portfolio; Now Available: 2019 Delta Science Plan

THIS JUST IN … Governor Newsom announces appointments and reappointments of several of the state’s top water and wildlife policy officials

 

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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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