DAILY DIGEST, 6/29: House to bring up infrastructure bill this week; Moving Forward Act provides funding for Central Valley water, Friant-Kern Canal; Incorporating multiple benefits into water projects: A guide for water managers; and more …

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In California water news today ...

House to bring up infrastructure bill this week:  "The House is lining up a vote this week on its $1.5 trillion infrastructure bill aiming to get the legislation across the finish line by packaging amendments together as much as possible as the pandemic forces changes to Congress' voting patterns.  Majority leader Steny Hoyer said Friday that he had talked to Republican leaders about putting amendments in manager's packages or in en bloc tranches to avoid voting on individual amendments one at a time, as the socially distanced voting process currently takes around an hour per vote. ... "  Read more from Politco here: House to bring up infrastructure bill this week

Moving Forward Act provides funding for Central Valley water, Friant-Kern Canal:  "The U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure has approved H.R. 2, the Moving Forward Act. The legislative package would provide $1.5 trillion for the nation's infrastructure  needs. Included in the bill is funding for Central Valley water needs and Friant-Kern Canal repairs.  The package is expected to be passed by the U.S. House of Representatives next week. The package would then need to be passed by the Senate and signed into law by President Trump. ... "  Read more from the Porterville Recorder here: Moving Forward Act provides funding for Central Valley water, Friant-Kern Canal

Incorporating multiple benefits into water projects: A guide for water managers:  "Adapting to climate change, coupled with the need to address aging infrastructure, population growth, and degraded ecosystems, requires significant investment in natural and built water systems. These investments present a significant opportunity to support not only water, but to provide economic, social, and environmental benefits. By considering co-benefits, water managers can increase funding through collaborative partnerships and co-funding opportunities, build partnerships, and garner public support.  This guidebook uses a “multi-benefit framework” to provide a modular, flexible approach for water managers interested in incorporating multiple benefits into water management decisions. ... "  Read more from the Pacific Institute here: Incorporating multiple benefits into water projects: A guide for water managers

Lake Tahoe: $14 million deal to preserve wild lands, forests, remote lake near Truckee:  "A mountain lake that looks as if it was sprung from the pages of a wilderness calendar, along with rugged forests north of Lake Tahoe that are home to black bears, mountain lions, badgers and other wildlife, will be preserved under a $14 million deal announced Monday.  The Northern Sierra Partnership, a coalition of land trusts based in Palo Alto and funded in large part with donations from Silicon Valley technology leaders, purchased the 2,914 acres located about two miles north of Truckee. The purchase is part of a multi-year effort to protect 100,000 acres or more between Lake Tahoe and Mount Lassen for wildlife, public recreation and water conservation. ... "  Read more from the San Jose Mercury News here:  Lake Tahoe: $14 million deal to preserve wild lands, forests, remote lake near Truckee

Mountain meadow restoration can bring birds back:  "In a new study led by scientists at Point Blue Conservation Science and in collaboration with The Institute for Bird Populations, authors evaluated the successes of mountain meadow restorations by analyzing eight years of bird data collected by field biologists. The authors concluded that, when "pond and plug" and similar techniques were followed, the number of birds of many species increased over time as habitat conditions improved.  The paper, published in Restoration Ecology, may prove of particular value to restoration practitioners, many of whom rely on peer-reviewed scientific journal articles to guide their work.  ... "  Read more from Science Daily here:  Mountain meadow restoration can bring birds back

Warnings posted about toxic blue-green algae at Salmon Creek Lagoon in Bodega Bay:  "State and county officials have begun posting signs warning residents of the potential for toxic blue-green algae blooms in Sonoma County.  Signs posted Friday morning at Salmon Creek Lagoon in Bodega Bay caution visitors to stay away from algae and scum in the water, avoid eating shellfish from affected waters and thoroughly clean fish caught from those areas.  Additional advisory signs expected to be posted as the season wears on, health officials said in a Sunday morning news release. ... "  Read more from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat here: Warnings posted about toxic blue-green algae at Salmon Creek Lagoon in Bodega Bay

$10.8M grant will fund environmental justice efforts in downtown, south Stockton:  "The state has approved more than $10.8 million in grant funding to support environmental justice efforts in downtown and south Stockton neighborhoods.  The California Strategic Growth Council selected Stockton alongside the cities of Oakland and Riverside to be a part of the Transformative Climate Communities Program, which provides support for neighborhoods in the state most impacted by pollution to reduce their own greenhouse gas emissions by coming up with goals, strategies and projects.  Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs announced the new influx of funding Friday via Facebook Live and Zoom conferencing. ... "  Read more from the Stockton Record here: $10.8M grant will fund environmental justice efforts in downtown, south Stockton

California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation spills 12,000 more gallons of sewage into Mule Creek:  "On May 26, 2020 at 6:44 a.m., the main sewage line at Mule Creek State Prison (MCSP) broke at the beam, resulting in the release of approximately 12,000 gallons of sewage into Mule Creek, according to the official Governor’s Office of Emergency Services Hazardous Materials Spill Report filed by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR). The responsible party, CDCR, will be handling the cleanup. ... "  Read more from the Amador Ledger-Dispatch here: California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation spills 12,000 more gallons of sewage into Mule Creek

Millions of Americans think they’re safe from flood waters. They aren’t.  "A new, nationwide flood modeling tool released Monday paints a picture of the U.S. as a country woefully underprepared for damaging floods, now and in the future.  The federal government’s best efforts to predict where flooding will strike have underestimated the risk to nearly 6 million homes and commercial properties primarily in the nation’s interior, leaving them unprepared for potential devastation, the analysis shows.  Meanwhile, the model prepares residents of coastal states and cities for risks to come as their communities head toward a future of more intense storms and rising seas. ... "  Read more from USA Today here: Millions of Americans think they’re safe from flood waters. They aren’t

New data reveals hidden flood risk across America:  "Across much of the United States, the flood risk is far greater than government estimates show, new calculations suggest, exposing millions of people to a hidden threat — and one that will only grow as climate change worsens.  That new calculation, which takes into account sea-level rise, rainfall and flooding along smaller creeks not mapped federally, estimates that 14.6 million properties are at risk from what experts call a 100-year flood, far more than the 8.7 million properties shown on federal government flood maps. A 100-year flood is one with a 1 percent chance of striking in any given year. ... "  Read more from the New York Times here:  New data reveals hidden flood risk across America

USVs: A solution for inspecting dams and guarding waterways:  "The widely reported dam failures in Central Michigan this spring highlighted the dangers of aging infrastructure. As an op-ed in The New York Times, “Dam Failures Are a Warning,” suggested, “Two dams down, a few thousand to go.” It was not meant to be a sensational statement. Deteriorating infrastructure is an issue for most countries. Many nations have systems in place to evaluate and grade the state of their national infrastructure. In the United States, the nation’s civil engineers provide an assessment of the nation’s sixteen infrastructure categories using an A-to-F school report card format. ... "  Read more from Marine Technology here: USVs: A solution for inspecting dams and guarding waterways

This week in water:  "The EPA is moving to craft exemptions for PFAS chemicals as another federal agency questions their connection to COVID-19.  It's not just oceans—fruits and vegetables have microplastics in them, too.  Programs that plant trees to mitigate climate change could backfire.  There might be a new method to desalinate seawater that's profitable and environmentally benign.  In the latest NASA challenge, you'll get bonus points for considering vomit in your design."  Listen to podcast/read stories from H2O Radio here: This week in water

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Weekend Daily Digest ...

In California water news this weekend:

  • Federal district court denies environmental plaintiffs’ motion for preliminary injunction as to Shasta Dam operations;
  • Strong winds and low humidity will bring critical wildfire danger to much of the West;
  • California lawmakers finish work closing $54B deficit;
  • HydroPoint Remembers Tom Ash – Water Conservation Pioneer;
  • Lack of perchlorate standard paves way for Superfund slowdown;
  • and more ...


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Also on Maven's Notebook today ...

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Image credit: CA streamflow assessment map, courtesy of Belize Lane.   From this paper: Lane, B. A., Dahlke, H. E., Pasternack, G. B., & Sandoval‐Solis, S. (2017). Revealing the diversity of natural hydrologic regimes in California with relevance for environmental flows applications. JAWRA Journal of the American Water Resources Association53(2), 411-430.

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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