News articles and links from October 15, 2013

Groundwater

Letter: More about Valley groundwater levels

From: Mike Wade, Modesto Bee

Falling groundwater levels pose problems for region" (Oct. 14, Page A1): One element of the equation that was left out of this article is the changing priority in California over environmental water. More than 3 million acre-feet of water that once served farms, homes and businesses has been "re-prioritized" each year for environmental purposes. Unfortunately, unlike urban and agricultural public water agencies, environmental uses are not required to meet any sort of efficiency standards.

Bay Delta Conservation Plan

We Can Do Better: Longfin Smelt and a Case Study in Collaborative Science

From: Mark W. Cowin and Charlton H. Bonham, SF Estuary & Watershed Science

There should be no question that flows into, through, and out of California's Delta are biologically important. Equally true is that water is a limited resource. Competing demands for Delta water include flows for native fish, water supply for farms and cities, and cold water held back in large reservoirs to cool salmon streams.

California Water Series Part 5: The Bay Delta Conservation Plan: A Solution for the Future?

From: Amy Quinton, Valley Public Radio 

(This article was previously broadcast on Capital Public Radio.)

Supporters say the Bay Delta Conservation Plan is one of the most ambitious habitat restoration programs California has ever attempted. But its proposal to build two tunnels to carry water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to central and southern California has also become one of the most controversial.

Delta 

Reclamation to Close the Delta Cross Channel Gates

From: Press Release, USBR

The Bureau of Reclamation will close the Delta Cross Channel Gates on Thursday October 17, at approximately 9:00 a.m., in order to meet Bay-Delta flow standards at Rio Vista, Calif., according to State Water Resources Control Board Decision D-1641. The gates will reopen on Friday October 18 at 3:00 p.m. and may close again on Monday October 21 at 9:00 a.m. until further notice.

Delta Science Plan

From: Report, Delta Stewardship Council  

The Delta Science Plan is a framework for conducting science that organizes and integrates Delta science activities and builds an open collaborative science community (One Delta, One Science).

Rivers

Reclamation Increases Flows in the Stanislaus River

From: Press Release, USBR

On Sunday, October 13, the Bureau of Reclamation will begin increasing releases from Goodwin Dam into the Stanislaus River. These releases will be in the form of two pulses. The first will begin on October 13, and will increase to 900 cubic-feet-per-second on October 14, then drop to 450 cfs on October 17. The second pulse will begin at 1:00 a.m. on October 23, and will ramp up quickly to a peak of about 2,000 cfs by 1:00 p.m. On October 24, the releases will begin gradually decreasing, reaching about 200 cfs by November 22.

Events

Jose Ramirez to participate in "Fight for Water" boxing event

From: Tommy Tran, KFSN-30 TV  

Former Olympian Jose Ramirez will return to the Valley and will participate in the "Fight for Water" boxing event.

Avenal boxer Jose Ramirez looks forward to homecoming bout

From: Anthony Galaviz, Fresno Bee

The fight card is named "Fight for Water" because Ramirez recently became a spokesman for the Latino Water Coalition, which aims to help resolve the state's water crisis and to promote economic growth.

"Trying to get the message outside of the boxing ring that we need more water in the farming community," Ramirez said. "Thousands of jobs have been lost. ... Hopefully, we create a big voice (on Nov. 9)."