Water Supply
From: J.M. Rademacher,
Bakersfield Californian
As we contemplate future drought
and potable water rationing, our state is uniquely situated with a vast
coastline of Pacific Ocean sea water.
Visualize three desalinization
(reverse-osmosis) plants situated at north, central and south shores of our
state. These plants could be combustion and air-pollution free, and might
require a relatively small amount of emission pollutants to construct.
Coalition response...Looking for new water supplies is always a good idea. Studies are
underway on several projects---Upper Temperance Flat on the San Joaquin River,
Sites Reservoir in western Colusa County and raising Shasta Dam---that would
increase the water supply for California. It is estimated that 120 desalination
plants the size of the recently approved Poseidon facility in San Diego would
be required to meet the 6 MAF requirements of the State Water Project and the
federal Central Valley Project. With 840 miles of California coastline, a desal
plant would have to be placed every seven miles and would still not connect to
our current water distribution system. Plans already under, such as the above
and the Bay Delta Conservation Plan, would be much cheaper and more
environmentally-friendly than lining our coastline with desal plants.
Water Supply
From: Wall Street Journal
President Obama says he wants to
"redesign government" and deliver services in a "smarter"
way. Terrific. Perhaps he could start by ensuring a reliable water supply to
people living in the devolving state of California.
The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
this spring cut water deliveries to farmers and the two-thirds of Californians
who live south of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to between 20% and 35% of
their contractual allocations. The reason? Because 300 three-inch smelt were
caught in the pumps at the south end of the delta. Since the smelt is
designated "threatened" under the Endangered Species Act, it's being
protected at literally all costs.
From: Matt Weiser, Sacramento Bee
From: Matt Weiser, Fresno Bee
From: Matt Weiser, Modesto Bee
Gov. Jerry Brown's plan to build
two massive water diversion tunnels in the Delta has hogged the spotlight in
the crowded theater of California water issues. But contract negotiations going
on backstage could prove just as significant.
The state and federal water
agencies that control most of Northern California's water are negotiating new
contracts with their 279 farm and urban water buyers. These contracts will
govern those relationships - and extend the government's obligation to provide
water - for decades.
Bay Delta
Conservation Plan
From: Editorial Board,
Sacramento Bee
Senate President Pro Tem Darrell
Steinberg is in a unique position to influence at least a partial resolution of
the brewing battle over the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. The question is: Can
he use his leverage in a way that benefits both the district he represents and
the state of California he serves?
From: Dan Ray, Delta
Stewardship Council
This letter presents the attached
comments by the staff of the Delta Stwardship Council (DSC), working with our
Arcadis consultant team, on the 2013 administrative draft of the Bay Delta
Conservation Plan (BDCP) EIR/S.
Fisheries
From: Amy Quinton, Capital
Public Radio
Fish -- including endangered
species like the Delta smelt -- are put in holding tanks then trucked to other
parts of the Delta and released. From there, little is known about their fate.
But most scientists agree it's not good. Predator often wait for what amounts
to a daily feeding.
Weather
From: Becky Oskin, The Weather
Channel
Severe drought parched the
Southwest from Texas to California and heat waves set record-high temperatures.
A New Mexico firestorm nearly killed 24 firefighters.
Sound familiar? Those were
actually the events of 1950 in America, not 2013. In that year, natural cycles
in Pacific and Atlantic oceans' sea-surface temperatures combined to create
extreme heat and drought across the United States. And the pattern is
repeating.
Klamath
From: Associated Press, Contra Costa Times
From: Associated Press, Modesto Bee
From: Associated Press, Sacramento Bee
Members of a task force looking
for solutions to the Klamath Basin's water woes should seize an opportunity
that may not come again if they don't act, the natural resources adviser to
Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber said.
The drought in the basin that has
led to another irrigation shut-off this year underscores the significance of
the panel, convened by Kitzhaber and members of the state's congressional
delegation, the Klamath Falls Herald and News reported Friday.
Congress
From: Josh Abel, ACWA
The House of Representatives on
July 10 approved a fiscal year 2014 Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies
Appropriations bill by a vote of 227-198.
Meetings
From: Mark Grossi, Fresno
Beehive
Water experts, lawmakers and
government officials will field questions from the public in a Delta Water
Summit, scheduled 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Aug. 3 at Fresno State's Satellite
Student Union.
I will write a story about it in
the next week or so, but it's time to get the word out about the summit on the
Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta.
Public leaders, scientists,
biologists and engineers have been working years on a plan to revive the
declining delta ecosystem while providing a more certain water supply. The plan
is slowly reaching critical mass, with state leaders focused on two large water
supply tunnels.
Though the process has been
contentious, the public has not followed it closely. This is an attempt to
explain the issues and answer questions, according to the Latino Water
Coalition, a Valley group that organized the summit.
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