Tuesday, September 13, 2011

News articles and links from Sept. 13, 2011

Delta

Record fish numbers salvaged in Calif. water pumps

Story

From Fresno Bee - Monday, Sept. 12, 2011

From North County Times - Monday, Sept. 12, 2011

Coalition response...Biologists knew in advance that this year's water conditions would result in increased fish populations and high numbers of fish salvaged at the pumps. The hue and cry by environmentalist representatives ignores the fact that these high numbers provide supporting proof for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to deny protected status to the splittail under the Endangered Species Act. The environmental claim that fish are killed by predators while at the pumping facilities is lacking in studies that provide real numbers.
 
Delta pumping operations have not prevented splittail populations from recovering, as evidenced by the huge numbers in the ecosystem this year. The record numbers, contrary to Jennings' claim, are not evidence that the biological fabric is continuing to collapse. It is evidence that the pumps have little or nothing to do with the long term condition of splittail populations.
 
It is important to recognize that the water conditions that spurred the higher fish populations were naturally created and management of the State and federal systems supplying water to public water agencies cannot create the same conditions.

The Delta water wars heat up

Story

From Bilingual Weekly - Monday, Sept. 12, 2011

Coalition response...This mish-mash of claims is rife with inaccuracies and false claims. Carter has publicly demonstrated a disdain for the farmworker community and his rush to "put water back into the Delta" ignores the lives that have been built on water delivered to public water agencies. Thousands of farmworkers lost their jobs in recent years as deliveries were reduced due to drought and environmental regulations lacking in science.

Further citing a SWRCB report by claiming that more water needs to remain in the Delta leaves out an important disclaimer made by the authors. The authors emphasized that their report required further study and should not be the basis for policy development.

Farmers have not needed legislative guidelines to achieve increases in water use efficiency. From 1967 to 2000, the per acre application of water has experienced only a 2 percent increase while crop production has skyrocketed 89 percent. Benefiting from this improved use of water has been consumers across the globe.

This diatribe serves no purpose in resolving the issues that surround California water.

WATER SUPPLY

Mountain Counties Water Resources Association gears up for action

Story

From Mountain Democrat - Friday, Sept. 9, 2011

Condition for major reservoirs: Sept. 12, 2011

Chart

From DWR - Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2011

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