Bay Delta
Conservation Plan
From: Frank Matias, Visalia
Times-Delta
Water, water, water.
We all talk about water, but we
do nothing.
Out-of-the-box suggestion: Build
a huge aqueduct system from the east to the west.
Coalition response...While some may think this idea of building a canal from other states to
California is ridiculous, at least the letter-writer is attempting to solve a
serious problem confronting California. The best and much less expensive
alternative to bring a more reliable water supply to 25 million Californians
and thousands of farmers in the San Joaquin Valley is the Bay Delta
Conservation Plan and its proposed twin tunnels. Cost estimates to build the
tunnels is about $14 billion and according to the benefits received water users
will be paying the cost. Based on the per mile construction cost of the twin
tunnels, a water conveyance facility from the Mississippi River to Central
California could easily exceed $700 billion, or 50 times the cost currently
under consideration.
Outside-the-box thinking is
important. It helps frame the issue and makes sure we are on the right track
for a feasible project.
Water Supply
From: Laura Bashar, Family
Spice
A few years ago I convinced my
husband to dig up some of our lawn so we could have a vegetable garden. I
wanted to teach our kids that food doesn't magically appear at the grocery
store. Last week I shared with you some of our successful summer harvest, but
we didn't grow enough to replace the grocery store. This summer is our fourth
year having a vegetable garden. It does not come easy to us. My husband and I
grumble about the tomato plants failing or the blasted caterpillars. Hubby was
so frustrated he expressed interest in putting the grass back in.
Last month I had the pleasure of
touring several central valley California farms, hosted by the California Farm
Water Coalition, who has the slogan, "Food Grows Where Water Flows."
Let me be specific. This was a trip to Fresno in late June, where record high
heat arrived the same day we bloggers did. Touring farms in 110ºF heat is not
for the faint of heart, but our hosts were gracious and provided plenty of
sunscreen, a van with a/c and a cooler filled will ice and water. We were set.
From: Matt Williams, ACWA
With support from ACWA, the
Western States Water Council and the California Department of Water Resources
are co-sponsoring a workshop in San Diego next week on quantifying drought
impacts.
Delta
From: Maven, Maven's Notebook
The Delta Stewardship Council has
responsibility for overseeing implementation of the Delta Plan, which makes
several recommendations with respect to ecosystem restoration including
prioritizing and implementing restoration projects, restoring habitat at
appropriate elevations, and avoiding introductions or improving habitat for
nonnative invasive species.
Groundwater
From: Staff, Modesto Bee
We're not alone. Around
California there are multiple situations where some landowners are pumping so
much groundwater that other landowners' wells are going dry or are producing
only a trickle of water.
Here in Stanislaus County, the
biggest concern focuses on wells drilled for the massive new almond orchards on
the east. In the Paso Robles area, a similar conflict has surfaced; only the
issue relates to large vineyards.
Transfers
From: Antoine Abou-Diwan,
Imperial Valley Press
The nation's largest
agriculture-to-urban water transfer has been deemed legal and valid, closing
another chapter in a decade-long dispute over rights to Colorado River water
that is crucial to California, six other states and Mexico.
Sacramento Superior Court Judge
Lloyd Connelly ruled Wednesday that the Imperial Irrigation District was in
compliance with state environmental regulations and had the authority to enter
into the landmark Quantification Settlement Agreement.
From: Antoine Abou-Diwan,
Imperial Valley Press
Wednesday's court ruling
upholding the validity of the Quantification Settlement Agreement is a setback
to local government efforts to ensure that the Salton Sea does not become an
environmental and public health disaster as a result of the water transfer.
The Salton Sea is primarily fed
by irrigation runoff from the Imperial Valley. The transfer of water out of the
Imperial Valley and water conservation efforts are hastening the demise of the
Salton Sea. Fine particulate matter on the exposed shoreline can pose an
environmental and public health risk if it gets airborne.
Central Valley
Project
From: Press Release, USBR
The Bureau of Reclamation's
Mid-Pacific Region will hold a meeting to update the public on the current
status of the ongoing Cost Allocation Study for the Central Valley Project. The
focus of the meeting will be on benefit analysis for water supply. The meeting
will be held:
Friday, Aug. 9
10 a.m. to Noon
Federal Building, 2800 Cottage
Way
Cafeteria Conference Rooms
C1001-C1002
Sacramento, CA 95825
Water Data Modeling
From: Samuel Sandoval Solis,
Josué Medellín-Azuara & Jay Lund, California WaterBlog
Computer modelers tasked with
untangling California's knotty water problems often find themselves entangled
by incompatible or poorly organized datasets.
They're stuck for months trying
to transform these datasets into model inputs before the important business of
modeling can get underway. Some highly useful datasets on parts of California's
water system never make it into the "big picture" models because of
obscurity and poor documentation.
With this need in mind, the UC
Davis Center for Watershed Sciences recently launched an initiative in the
California modeling community to develop standard datasets for building and
using models of California's water system. The goal is to establish common
protocols for organizing, documenting, storing these datasets. Such standards
would allow models to be built and modified with greater ease, transparency and
participation.
Meetings
From: Southern California
Water Committee
Thursday, Aug. 15, 4 p.m. to 5:30
p.m. - Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce
Speakers:
Dr. Jerry Meral, Deputy
Secretary, California Natural Resources Agency
Richard Atwater, Executive
Director, Southern California Water Committee
Gary Arant, General Manager,
Valley Center Municipal Water District
Mike Wade, Executive Director,
California Farm Water Coalition
No comments:
Post a Comment