Wednesday, November 16, 2011

News articles and links from Nov. 16, 2011

Water supply

New report shows California agriculture already water-efficient

Story

From Western Farm Press - Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2011

Coalition response...Nearly 30 years after a University of California, Cooperative Extension study concluded that farmers are not wasting water a new study arrived at similar conclusions. A major finding of the current study contradicts a popular claim that increased conservation on the farm could result in millions of acre-feet of water available for other uses.

The 1982 report has been updated by researchers at The Center for Irrigation Technology at California State University, Fresno. The updated study was released supporting many of the same conclusions.

The new study shows that only 1.3 percent of existing supplies, or about 330,000 acre-feet of water could be conserved on farms if farmers changed their irrigation practices or shifted to different crops.

Changes in irrigation practices and crop patterns also have the potential to cause negative impacts. Changing from furrow to drip irrigation can mean less water to replenish aquifers, which many rural communities rely on for domestic water supplies.

The new study also shows that farmers have been making excellent decisions on how to manage the water they use to efficiently grow food and fiber, create jobs and significantly contribute to California's economy.

Delta

Striped bass are pawns in water games

Column

By Peter Ottesen

From The Record - Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2011

Coalition response...It has become too easy for critics of California's water supply system to point to the pumps that deliver the water as the culprits for everything wrong with the Delta. Recent studies have clearly pointed to multiple stressors for the fish decline in the Delta, including predators, water quality, toxic discharges of wastewater from cities as well as the pumps. Studies have shown the impact of the pumps is less than other factors. If California is going to achieve a resolution to its current water supply problems, then all factors that impact the Delta must be resolved in order to allow the water to flow through the region. Water flowing through the Delta is delivered to 25 million Californians and farmland that produce the food we eat.

WATER SUPPLY

Inspecting the once mighty Colorado River

Story

From Yuma Sun - Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2011

How does valley water get over the Grapevine?

Blog

From Bakosphere - Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2011

Southern California strives to cut reliance on northern water

Blog

By Patricia McBroom

From California Spigot - Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2011

DELTA

The Delta Conservancy seeks input from Suisun Marsh stakeholders

Announcement

From Aquafornia - Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2011

Water blogged

Blog

By Alex Breitler

From Record Blog - Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2011

McNerney calls for an equal playing field for all parties In Bay Delta plan

Press release

From Rep. McNerney - Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2011

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