News articles and links from Jan. 10, 2011

State needs more water storage – underfoot

Viewpoint

by Peter Gleick

From Sacramento Bee – Saturday, Jan. 8, 2011

Coalition response...Don’t be fooled by Peter Gleick’s praise for Alta Irrigation District’s groundwater management program. They accomplished it without the onerous regulations he suggests at the end of his piece. He knows that, but uses Alta as an excuse to call for more regulations that would strip farmers of the flexibility and control they currently have over irrigation practices. That means more state control and higher production costs. If Alta and other irrigation districts throughout the state can achieve what they did without heavy-handed mandates then others would also be able to with the right incentives, not more environmental regulations like Gleick wants.

New Delta thinking needed

Opinion

By Robert Pyke

from The Record – Saturday, Jan. 8, 2011

Coalition response...The author makes some good points on managing Delta flows to benefit both water users and the environment. However he exaggerates when he claims alternative conveyance proposals in the Bay-Delta Conservation Plan would change water operations from cross flow to no flow. In fact, Delta exports over the past 10 years have amounted to less than 20 percent of the water in the Delta system. If discussion on important resource management issues is to move forward it’s important to maintain a level of accuracy that the public can depend on.

Meetings will discuss plans for Delta

Story

from Sacramento Bee – Saturday, Jan. 8, 2011

Challenges and opportunities for the San Joaquin explored at SWRCB proceeding

Blog

from Bay Delta Blog – Monday, Jan. 10, 2011

MID to consider water-rate bump

Story

from Modesto Bee – Monday, Jan. 10, 2011

Dams release excess water as rain fills Valley reservoirs

Story

from Fresno Bee – Sunday, Jan. 9, 2011

It’s been a great water year – but will it last?

Story

from Bakersfield Californian – Saturday, Jan. 8, 2011

The Continuing Fight for Sacramento Delta Water

Blog

from IVN – Monday, Jan. 10, 2011

Crews fixing Delta levee in preparation for potential flooding

from San Jose Mercury News – Friday, Jan. 7, 2011

Fears of flooding spur levee repair

from Modesto Bee – Friday, Jan. 7, 2011

Crews fixing Delta levee in preparation for potential flooding

from Contra Costa Times – Friday, Jan. 7, 2011

Crews fix San Joaquin levee, prep for potential flooding

TV News

from News 10/Sacramento – Friday, Jan. 7, 2011

A very important Letter to the Editor

Ocean temperature rise cause for (salmon) decrease
By Dr. Richard A. Gierak

“The decrease of salmonid populations in California, Oregon and Washington is as a direct result of a historic rise in Pacific Ocean temperature driving salmonids north into Alaskan waters. Removal of dams and hatcheries and relocation of Caspian Terns will not restore salmonid fisheries but will ultimately destroy the Pacific Northwest commercial salmonid fisheries. It is apparent that temperature rise in the Pacific Ocean, volcanic activity increase in the Pacific Ring of Fire, global earthquake activity and increased heat content of the Pacific Ocean are the result of a planetary cycle – and dams or hatcheries cannot be blamed for reduced salmonid runs in Washington, Oregon and California.” Read more by clicking here <http://www.siskiyoudaily.com/opinions/letters_to_the_editor/x2026720005/Ocean-temperature-rise-cause-for-decrease>

News articles and links from Jan. 7, 2011

Fishermen, Enviros Challenge Agribusiness Claims about ‘Draining’ of New Melones

Blog

By Dan Bacher

from IndyBay – Thursday, Jan. 6, 2011

Coalition response...The biological opinions that mandate the flow of water through the Delta have found to be lacking in sound science by a federal judge who ordered parts to be rewritten. It is these same biological opinions that threaten the water level of New Melones Reservoir, as pointed out by the Oakdale and South San Joaquin water districts. An extensive study has concluded that strict adherence to these federal guidelines will result in dangerously low levels in the reservoir, which proves the judge was correct in his ruling. Instead of using emotional rhetoric to argue against the study’s conclusions, critics like this author need to bring sound science to the discussion to back up their claims.

Eroding levee on San Joaquin River to get repairs

Story

from Sacramento Bee – Friday, Jan. 7, 2011

Ocean temperature rise cause for (salmon) decrease

Letter

from Siskiyou Daily News – Thursday, Jan. 6, 2011

News articles and links from Jan. 6, 2011

Climate change threatens Sierra, delta, group says

Story

from SF Chronicle – Thursday, Jan. 6, 2011

Coalition declares Sierra, Delta habitats threatened by climate change

Story

from Sacramento Bee – Thursday, Jan. 6, 2011

Kings declares drought, flood emergencies

Story

from Hanford Sentinel – Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2011

Laird receives appointment from Gov. Brown as Secretary for Natural Resources

Story

from Santa Cruz Sentinel – Thursday, Jan. 5, 2011

Water wars coming to our backyard

Letter

from Chico Enterprise-Record – Thursday, Jan. 6, 2011

Water Supplies Looking Better Following Storms

TV News

from 47TV/Fresno – Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2011

News articles and links from Jan. 5, 2011

Speak out now on water transfers

Letter

from Chico Enterprise-Record – Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2011

Coalition viewpoint...It would be a good for people to attend the Jan. 11 meeting and learn the facts about water transfers instead of the rhetoric that is too often espoused by individuals who do not present all the information. Water transfers are closely monitored in our state and must undergo a rigorous review process to guarantee that areas of origin---including people, businesses and the environment---are not harmed. In fact, a portion of the water that flows through the Delta as part of a transfer is required to be left in the Delta for environmental purposes.

NOTE: For a current look at the numbers for selected reservoirs in Northern and Southern California, click here to view the Daily Reservoir Storage Summary as provided by DWR.

Abundant water helps north state

Editorial

from Chico Enterprise-Record – Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2011

Making way for more water

Story

from Merced Sun Star – Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2011

Is this the end of the drought?

Story

from Hanford Sentinel – Monday Jan. 3, 2011

Buoys strung on border canal to prevent drownings

From Salinas Californian – Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2011

Buoys strung on border canal to prevent drownings

from North County Times – Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2011

Buoys strung on border canal to prevent drownings

from 47TV/Fresno – Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2011

Buoys strong on border canal to prevent drownings

from Modesto Bee – Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2011

EPA approves Klamath River salmon plan

Story

from SF Chronicle – Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2011

‘Row, Row, Row Your Boat’ through sunny California

Editorial

from Western Farm Press – Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2011

Laird would be perfect for California resources post

Editorial

from SJ Mercury News – Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2010

News articles and links from Jan. 4, 2011

A Water Agenda for Governor Brown – Clean Water for California’s Future

Blog

By Barry Nelson, NRDC

from NRDC – Monday, Jan. 3, 2011

Coalition viewpoint...Despite the author’s claims, the current ag waiver program for water runoff has been successful. Testing of waters that was unheard of years ago is now going on as farmers are adopting practices to curtail runoff. The author also fails to recognize that increased water use efficiency is also a common practice for California farmers. Take a look at the numbers from the California Water Plan...DWR says ag’s economic efficiency has doubled over the last 40 years while applied water use has dropped by 14.6%.

Flood releases tell a tale of water storage needs

Opinion

By Mario Santoyo, California Latino Water Coalition

from Fresno Bee – Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2011

Despite rising Chinook numbers, clipped fins hint at troubling reality

Opinion

By John G. Williams, fishery biologist

from Sacramento Bee – Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2011

Next steps charting future of Delta are approaching

Story

from CV Business Times – Monday, Jan. 3, 2010

San Joaquin releases swell river

Blog

By Mark Grossi

from Fresno Bee – Monday, Jan. 3, 2011

News articles and links from Jan. 3, 2011

Open Letter to John Laird: Save Our Fisheries

Blog

By Dan Bacher

from Alter Net – Sunday, Jan. 2, 2011

Coalition viewpoint...Why is it that solutions to California’s water problems always get bogged down in personal viewpoints that refuse to acknowledge science and studies. The recent efforts, such as the BDCP, which this author wants to abolish is the closest California has come in decades to reaching a solution for California’s water future. These efforts have been built on science and studies that prove there are more factors impacting the Delta and its fish populations than just the pumps. Water quality, invasive species, ammonium discharges and ocean conditions clearly deserve consideration as pointed out by recent science and studies. To ignore these factors and follow the author’s recommendation would be disastrous for California.

California’s Delta Water Blues

Story

from Miller-McCune – Monday, Jan. 3, 2011

Sources: John Laird to get Cabinet post in Jerry Brown's administration

from Salinas Californian – Monday, Jan. 3, 2011

Former Santa Cruz legislator John Laird named to the top natural resources post by Jerry Brown

Story

from Contra Costa Times – Saturday, Jan. 1, 2011

CSPA to sue City and County of Sacramento over sewage spills

Blog

from Indybay – Friday, Dec. 31, 2010

By Dan Bacher

Paying for southern water grab

Story

from Sacramento Bee – Saturday, Jan. 1, 2011

Peripheral Canal returns as Conveyance Tunnels

Story

from Central Valley Business Journal – Thursday, Dec. 30, 2010

Good news, bad news for fish in Delta

Story

from Contra Costa Times – Thursday, Dec. 30, 2010