Thursday, February 17, 2011

News articles and links from Feb. 17, 2011

Don Pedro hydro relicensing will take years

Blog

By Mark Grossi

From Fresno Bee – Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2011

Coalition response...This blog provides some useful background on the upcoming relicensing process for Don Pedro Dam but it misses the bigger picture of what is really at stake. Turlock and Modesto irrigation districts may be required to allocate more flows for the benefit of fish when in fact their facility may have little to do with the current decline in salmon populations. Much of the damage to the river occurred prior to Don Pedro by mining and dredging operations that turned a once wild river into a series of deep, slow moving pools. That makes great habitat for bass and other predators that gobble up baby salmon. In addition, the writer states that salmon “dwindled in numbers after the dam was built in the 1970’s.” In fact, salmon populations on the Tuolumne have experienced boom and bust cycles after the dam was built, the same as they did before it was constructed.

As the relicensing process gets underway lets hope that Turlock and Modesto irrigation districts – and the farmers they serve – aren’t held accountable for problems that cannot be fixed simply by adding more water.

Delta Planners: State promises more water than nature provides

Story

From Oakland Tribune – Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2011

Coalition response...(NOTE: This article is a reprint from the Contra Costa Times. CFWC’s response will also be posted to the Oakland Tribune, reaching more readers with farm water facts.) Californians only use a portion of the water that nature provides, despite the opening sentence to this story. The majority of water that falls on our state is consumed by vegetation, soaks into the underground and flows to the ocean. Of the 85 million acre feet of water that is available for use in a normal year, most goes to specific environmental purposes (48%) and the rest goes to agriculture (41%) and municipal/industrial uses (11%). It is important to remember that this Delta draft is the first of several updated drafts that will be issued later this year.

Modesto Irrigation District Sees Lon Way to go For Delta Stewardship Plan

Story

From Water Online – Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2011

Joe Grindstaff misquotes the draft Delta Plan 3 out of 4 times

Blog

By Dr. Jeff Michael, UOP

From Valley Economy – Wednesday Feb. 16, 2011

Problems many, solutions few in long-awaited Delta report

Story

From Capitol Weekly – Thursday, Feb. 17, 2011

Council Releases First Draft of Delta Plan, Co-equal Goals Doom Plan to Failure

Blog

By Dan Bacher

From California Progress Report – Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2011

Feds budget for fish study

Story

From The Union – Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2011

IID Names Carlos Villalon To Interim Water Department Manager

Story

From IV Press – Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2011

SWRCB issues draft decision approving Davis-Woodland water right

Blog

From Bay Delta Blog - Thursday, Feb. 17, 2011

GOP bill stokes water battle

from Stockton Record – Thursday, Feb. 17, 2011

Nunes pumps controversy into budget bill

from Modesto Bee – Thursday, Feb. 17, 2011

Nunes gets controversial water provisions into bill

Story

From Fresno Bee – Thursday, Feb. 17, 2011

New threat to the Delta arises in the Delta

Editorial

From Contra Costa Times – Thursday, Feb. 17, 2011

Devin Nunes doesn’t do nuanced

Blog

By John Bass

From Delta National Park – Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2011

North San Joaquin Water Conservation District discusses projects, absent chairman

Story

From Lodi News Sentinel – Thursday, Feb. 17, 2011

Irrigation Water Management workshop March 3

Notice

From Western Farm Press

No comments:

Post a Comment