Water Supply
California's water wars present difficult lifestyle choices
Opinion
By John Sabo
From LA Times - Thursday, Sept. 1, 2011
Coalition response...Claiming that farms use 80% of the water consumed in the West ignores the water that is designated for environmental purposes, such as refuges, salt sinks and wild and scenic rivers. California's Department of Water Resources reports that water use is divided according to environmental/48%, ag/41% and urban/11%. The benefits of flood irrigation is also overlooked in the suggestion of converting this water practice to drip or overhead sprinklers. Water in flood irrigations that is not consumed by the plant soaks into the underground, recharging the aquifer. Most rural communities in our state benefit from these recharged aquifers by pumping a portion of that supply for drinking water. Eliminating flood irrigation could cause water shortages for the people of these communities. Farms are an important part of the balance that exists between urban and rural areas in California. Their contributions go beyond the food that is produced and, as in this case, is often unrecognized.
Delta
Irrigation districts as Chicken Little
Letter
From Modesto Bee - Thursday, Sept. 1, 2011
Coalition response...There are more facts than this letter-writer offers. Facts omitted from his letter include:
1. Other purposes for the construction of the Central Valley Project was water supply, flood control and recreation.
2. The biological opinions have been rejected by a federal judge, who called them "arbitrary and capricious," loaded with "faulty science." Just this week the same judge ruled the science used to erect a watery salt barrier in the Delta was "improper."
3. Read the website--http://savethestan.com/what-is-predation/---and learn that scientists are pointing to predators as a "major" cause of salmon losses.
4. Members of the National Academy of Sciences called for further study into the predator impact on salmon and other Delta fish species.
Judge pans plan for delta smelt
Story
From Modesto Bee - Thursday, Sept. 1, 2011
NOTE: The following response was posted yesterday to the above story that appeared in other newspapers.
Coalition response...The proposed movement of X2 by federal fish agencies is a continuation of the poor science used to develop the biological opinions governing flow through the Delta. The same judge who earlier ruled the BOs were "arbitrary and capricious" and full of "faulty science" has now ruled that the X2 proposal is "scientifically improper." Agencies charged with developing regulations must realize that they cannot simply take a position without basing it on sound science. Failure to develop science-based decisions serves no purpose.
WATER SUPPLY
Viewpoint
By Bruce S. Thornton
From City Journal - Thursday, Sept. 1, 2011
DELTA
Delta counties to BDCP: Slow down
Blog
By Alex Breitler
From The Record - Thursday, Sept. 1, 2011
Blog
By Alex Breitler
From The Record - Thursday, Sept. 1, 2011
Kern County Water Agency statement on federal court ruling preventing significant water losses
Press release
From KCWA - Thursday, Sept. 1, 2011
Good science wins in latest delta smelt ruling
Press release
From Westlands Water District - Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2011
Court blocks federal agencies from imposing arbitrary regulation on the State Water Project
Press Release
From State Water Contractors - Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2011
COURTS
Wanger's retirement will leave a huge hole
Editorial
From Fresno Bee - Friday, Sept. 2, 2011
Perk of being a federal judge: Wanger says no political fundraisers
Blog
By Mark Grossi
From Fresno Bee - Thursday, Sept. 1, 2011
FISHERIES
Nothing fishy is going on with salmon and Feather River Fish Hatchery
Story
From Oroville Mercury-Register - Friday, Sept. 2, 2011
Warming streams could be the end for salmon
Report
From UC Davis - Thursday, Sept. 1, 2011
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