News articles and links from June 27, 2012

Water supply

Will the Senate sacrifice American Wild and Scenic Rivers for a drop of water?

Commentary

By Deanna Lynn Wulff

From Bilingual Weekly - Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Coalition response...The above commentary is a reflection of the personal nonobjective viewpoints of the writer, which has been demonstrated in article after article. The claim that HR 2578 could impact all Wild and Scenic Rivers is a complete falsehood. It is highly doubtful that such a proposal would have been approved in Congress, which is why the legislation was narrowly written to only affect New Exchequer Dam on the Merced River. This proposal also reverses an unintended encroachment of the Wild and Scenic Rivers designation on the Merced River into already-defined Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) MID boundary upstream of Lake McClure.
 
Factless statements such as "Many water districts lose about 40 percent of their water just sending it down leaking canals or decaying irrigation ditches" is an affront to the efficiency levels already achieved by districts and their committed staff. Such an accusation of 40 percent losses without attribution would never pass a high school journalism class.
 
To further infer that Merced Irrigation District experiences 100,000 acre-feet in water losses is fantasy. MID delivers surface water to its customers and in doing so helps replenish the eastern Merced County aquifer with passive recharge through unlined canals. Farmers and the cities of Livingston, Atwater and Merced use water from the aquifer to grow food and to meet the domestic water needs of people in each of their jurisdictions. 
 
This article serves no purpose other than to spread falsehoods and innuendos in an attempt to stall a sensible project that has bipartisan support in Congress and throughout the region.  

WATER SUPPLY

Why Californians should care about water rights

Blog

By Eric L. Garner

From PublicCEO - Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Democrats prepare to move water bond question off November ballot

Blog

From LA Times - Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Contested McClure reservoir expansion project inches forward

Story

From Merced Sun-Star - Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Proposed sale of water to SF sparks criticism

Story

From Fresno Bee - Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Modesto Irrigation District discloses terms of water contract, delays vote

Story

From Merced Sun-Star - Tuesday, June 26, 2012

From Modesto Bee - Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Cooperation along the Colorado River

Column

By Brian Clark Howard

From National Geographic - Tuesday, June 26, 2012

As Colorado River dries up, the West feels the pain

Radio broadcast

From NPR - Tuesday, June 26, 2012

DELTA

City council: Delta fears dawn on Santa Clarita

Story

From KHTS-AM - Wednesday, June 27, 2012

FISHERIES

PG&E aids Butte Creek salmon run

Letter

From Chico Enterprise-Record - Wednesday, June 27, 2012

News articles and links from June 26, 2012

Water supply

Support San Joaquin River restoration

Opinion

By Salvatore Salerno

From Modesto Bee - Sunday, June 24, 2012

Coalition response...This author presents an idealistic view of the San Joaquin River Restoration Program in comparison to the reality that encompasses the ongoing efforts. Implementing the Settlement of the 18-year lawsuit involving the Bureau of Reclamation's operation of Friant Dam is a significant undertaking with a complex mix of hard-to-achieve benefits and potential impacts. The Settlement calls for two goals:  restoring 150 miles of the San Joaquin River below Friant Dam (including the reintroduction of salmon) and the recovery of water supplies to Friant contractors as a result of additional water releases from Friant Dam. Unfortunately, the author has mischaracterized the water supply impact to Friant contractors in dry years - it is in those years that giving up 15-20% of their water supplies will be the most difficult to mitigate.  To be successful, future federal and state funding, in addition to the substantial contribution already made by the Friant water contractors, will be necessary to implement the nearly $900 million effort and to mitigate the 200,000 acre-foot average annual water supply impact to Friant water contractors.
 
It is also important to note some of the many challenges to achieving the benefits cited by the author.  Major river improvements, including expanded river channel capacities and rearing habitat, elimination of fish passage impediments, construction of barriers (to prevent straying) and water diversion screening, all in a manner that takes into account impacts to third parties will be needed. 
 
In 2009 when Congress authorized the restoration program, no firm estimate of the costs was provided for the necessary infrastructure. This open-ended approach raised serious concerns about the ability to fully fund the program. Today, questions go unanswered in an attempt to determine future funding sources. Preliminary estimates released last week by the Bureau of Reclamation indicate that depending upon the final determination as to required actions, costs could exceed $1 billion. Those affected by the restoration program are still waiting to learn where this additional funding would come from.
 
It is not as simple as letting more water flow through the San Joaquin River that will result in a return of salmon. The report released last week reveals the program's continued illogical desire that spring-run salmon, an endangered species, will be reintroduced to the river at the end of 2013, this is in spite of the fact that none of the necessary fish passage and bypass channel projects at the Mendota Pool and Sack Dam will be accomplished. Therefore, these salmon will certainly die in the upper reaches of the river which is not in anybody's best interest.

Calif. rice farmers helping migratory birds

Story

From Fremont Tribune - Saturday, June 23, 2012

From Fresno Bee - Saturday, June 23, 2012

From Modesto Bee - Saturday, June 23, 2012

From North County Times - Saturday, June 23, 2012

From Sacramento Bee - Saturday, June 23, 2012

From SF Chronicle - Saturday, June 23, 2012

From San Diego Union-Tribune - Saturday, June 23, 2012

From SJ Mercury News - Saturday, June 23, 2012

Coalition response...Water used to grow rice provides an enormous benefit to migratory birds and other wildlife on the Pacific flyway. Rice farmers are sometimes unfairly criticized for allegedly wasting water but modern irrigation practices and careful management enable farmers to grow rice on similar amounts of water as other crops grown in the same region. California rice production is one of agriculture's many success stories. It provides bountiful food for people and wildlife-friendly habitat. That's a winning combination.

WATER SUPPLY

Flood protection nears Gov. desk

Story

From Woodland Daily Democrat - Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Commission to take final action on ag water measurement regulations

Story

From ACWA - Monday, June 25, 2012

MID weighs releasing sale contract, but critics vocal

Story

From Modesto Bee - Monday, June 25, 2012

Flood plan revision drops canal, bypass that farmers disliked

Story

From Marysville Appeal-Democrat - Monday, June 25, 2012

Salinas Valley growers grill Cal Am on desalination project

Story

From Monterey County Herald - Monday, June 25, 2012

DELTA

The Sacramento Delta: "An intricacy of endless legal troubles"

Blog

By John Fleck

From Inkstain - Sunday, June 24, 2012

The Peripheral Canal vote, 30 years on

Blog

By John Fleck

From Inkstain - Sunday, June 24, 2012

News articles and links from June 25, 2012

Delta

Water ethics and a peripheral canal

Opinion

By Jim Newton

From LA Times - Monday, June 25, 2012

Coalition response...No one is advocating the demise of family farms in the Delta. Current efforts to secure California's water future focus on developing a working plan that would improve reliability for 25 million Californians and family farmers who grow safe, healthy and affordable food. The Bay Delta Conservation Plan is still being developed and may include a peripheral canal/tunnel that would provide a more reliable water supply while protecting the fish and plants of the Delta. California's water future hinges on the continuation of these current efforts.

It is important to recognize that San Joaquin Valley farms are very similar to those farms in the Delta...they are owned and operated by families and individuals who are dedicated to their land and the crops they produce. Attempts to characterize the valley farmers as "big farms" as if they are different from others in the state is simply wrong and misleads the public.

WATER SUPPLY

Support Denham's water storage bill

Letter

From Merced Sun-Star - Monday, June 25, 2012

Large matters loom for legislators

Column

By Dan Walters

From Fresno Bee - Sunday, June 24, 2012

From Merced Sun-Star - Sunday, June 24, 2012

From Sacramento Bee - Sunday, June 25, 2012

Despite downpour, drought still with us

Story

From SF Chronicle - Sunday, June 24, 2012

Bypass plan not right for counties

Letter

From Chico Enterprise-Record - Sunday, June 24, 2012

Outlying towns need water, too

Letter

From Bakersfield Californian - Sunday, June 24, 2012

Dam removal holds risks, uncertainties 

Commentary

By Paul R. Houser

From Redding Record Searchlight - Sunday, June 24, 2012

Settlements sidestep Klamath's real problems 

Commentary

By Pattick Higgings

From Redding Record Searchlight - Sunday, June 24, 2012

Water had dividing effect 

Column

By Sarah Lim

From Merced Sun-Star - Saturday, June 23, 2012

DELTA

Delta water deal is a long way from being cooked

Opinion

By Stuart Leavenworth

From Sacramento Bee - Sunday, June 24, 2012

Bay Delta proposal would be tremendous loss of water

Letter

From Sacramento Bee - Sunday June 24, 2012

McNerney calls for a return to "policy before plumbing" on Bay Delta Plan

Press release

From Rep. McNerney - Friday, June 22, 2012

News articles and links from June 22, 2012

Delta

Reports offer very different takes on Delta tunnel

Story

From Stockton Record - Friday, June 22, 2012

Coalition response...A closer look at the two reports by UC Berkeley's David Sunding and UOP's Jeffrey Michael reveals that the study Sunding provides is an in-depth analysis on the economics of California water and the benefits that result from an enhanced water supply. This water supply, along with a restored Delta ecosystem, is the basis for the work currently being conducted by the Bay Delta Conservation Plan. Unfortunately, the report by Jeff Michael fails to assign any value to meeting either of the co-equal goals, which is the entire basis for the existence of BDCP.

   

John Herrick to Leadership Forum: The Delta is under attack

Story

From Lodi News-Sentinel - Friday, June 22, 2012

Coalition response...Twenty-five million Californians and millions of acres of farmland that grow a safe, healthy and economic food supply receive a portion of their water from the waters that flow through the Delta. Droughts and environmental regulations have reduced that water supply. In order to improve the reliability of that water supply, several efforts are now underway that would accomplish that desired reliability and restore the ecosystem of the Delta. It is unfortunate that opponents of these efforts will say almost anything in a public venue to mislead people about the work that is going on to secure California's water future. Rather than simply accept the comments from one point of view, people would be better served to seek the facts when it comes to water supply and the Delta environment.

WATER SUPPLY

Water, water everywhere - maybe not

Story

From PublicCEO - Friday, June 22, 2012

Pipe Dreams - The explosion of proposed pipeline project in the Colorado River Basin

Blog

By Barry Nelson

From NRDC - Friday, June 22, 2012

GROUNDWATER

California groundwater nitrate report more about past than present

Blog

By Harry Cline

From Western Farm Press - Friday, June 22, 2012

FISHERIES

Minimum flow on Tuolumne insufficient for fish

Story

From Modesto Bee - Thursday, June 21, 2012

News articles and links from June 21, 2012

Water supply

Pipe Dreams - A new report from NRDC on water pipeline proposals in the West

Blog

By Barry Nelson

From NRDC - Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Coalition response...The author is correct in saying "We need to design water solutions that will work in the coming century." But those designs will be faulty and inadequate if they are developed according to the new NRDC report, which repeats suggestions by the Pacific Institute for saving 700,000 acre-feet of water by California farmers. The suggestions in the Institute's 2010 report overstated the water use efficiency potential on California farms by at least a factor of two and maybe much, much more.

Claiming that farmers can conserve such huge amounts of water by switching to less water intensive crops and adopting sprinkler/drip irrigation systems to replace gravity/flood irrigation simply ignores reality.  The decision to plant which crop is governed by the marketplace and will constantly change for some farmers. Telling a farmer which crop he or she is allowed to plant is a sure-fire way to run them out of business. That increases unemployment, reduces food choices at the grocery store and increases prices for consumers who are already strapped by a weak economy.

There are numerous factors---soil, weather, cost, energy, etc.---a farmer must consider in determining which irrigation practice to implement. California farmers have already invested more than $2 billion in upgraded irrigation systems since 2003 and more improvements occur every year. Consumers benefit from the innovation and efficiency on California farms. Forcing changes that don't make sense is a recipe for disaster.

Water quality

California's selenium time bomb keeps ticking

Blog

By Glen Martin

From Huffington Post - Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Coalition response...The author needs to take some time and visit the westside of the San Joaquin Valley to see for himself the current efforts by farmers to grow a healthy supply of fruits and vegetables while preventing selenium from reaching the San Joaquin River. A visit would reveal the fallacies that he includes in the article and the fact that today's situation is vastly different from what happened at Kesterson a generation ago.  

Farmers in the 100,000-acre Grassland Drainage Area have worked with environmental organizations and State/federal agencies since 1995 to reduce the drainage from their lands. More than 57,500 acre-feet of drainage water was discharged in 1995 before the establishment of the Grassland Bypass Project (GBP). That number dropped to 14,500 acre-feet, a 75% reduction, by 2010. In addition, the amount of selenium, salt and boron (all naturally occurring minerals) reaching the river was reduced by 87%, 72% and 64% respectively.

Based on the success of the project, the Regional Water Quality Control Board approved the continuance of the GBP efforts to December 2019. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency termed the GBP "a success story (visit http://water.epa.gov/polwaste/nps/success319/ca_san.cfm to read the EPA report).

Anyone interested in seeing the success achieved in managing Westside water supplies in a way that continues to produce safe, healthful and affordable food products while protecting environmental resources can contact us for a tour.  The facts speak for themselves.

DELTA

Retooled plan for Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta water diversions fails to impress area resident

Story

From Sacramento Bee - Thursday, June 21, 2012

Changes to BDCP conveyance, findings of benefits analysis outlined at public meeting

Story

From ACWA - Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Barely a doodle

Blog

By John Bass

From Delta National Park - Wednesday, June 20, 2012

FISHERIES

Full salmon restoration could be 3 years away

Blog

By Mark Grossi

From Fresno Beehive - Wednesday, June 20, 2012

LEGISLATURE

Alejo sees his bill to curb groundwater contamination move forward

Story

From SF Examiner - Wednesday, June 20, 2012