Monday, October 3, 2011

News articles and links from Oct. 3, 2011

Delta

Despite controversy over regulations, record water deliveries pumped from Delta

Story

From Contra Costa Times - Friday, Sept. 30, 2011

From San Jose Mercury News - Friday, Sept. 30, 2011

Coalition response...This article would have been better placed on the Opinion page. Selective use of information and old news has the effect of weaving a story that seems intent on misleading readers.

The high volume of water delivered this year to public water agencies is no surprise due to the weather conditions that erased recent drought impacts. The author acknowledges that drought resulted in some of the cuts water users experienced. Doesn't it make sense that the wet conditions California experienced this year would lead to higher water deliveries?

The reference in this article to courtroom decisions that happened four years ago ignores what this very paper reported on September 23 about Judge Oliver Wanger's decision on pumping restrictions and testimony by two federal scientists - "The only inference that the court can draw is that it is an attempt to mislead and to deceive the court into accepting what is not only not the best available science, it's not science." Why was this newer information left out of Friday's story?

It is also important to recognize that despite this year's near record rainfall, many public water agencies did not receive their full allotments because of ongoing environmental restrictions. Simply put, those restrictions, even in a very wet year, are taking water away from farms that grow food for consumers.

And finally, the introduction of a new and unnamed study "obtained by the Bay Area News Group" may be useful to the discussion of resolving the issues surrounding California water but it would have been helpful to know the study's title and where it came from.

COURTS

Judge rejects attempt to close California salmon fishery

Story

From LA Times - Friday, Sept. 30, 2011

WATER SUPPLY

UC Merced gets $2 million to track Sierra snowpack

Story

From Modesto Bee - Monday, Oct. 3, 2011

Modesto Irrigation District weighs selling water to SF

Story

From Modesto Bee - Sunday, Oct. 2, 2011

San Joaquin River Restoration Program releases the final environmental document for water year 2012 interim flows

Story

From USBR - Friday, Sept. 30, 2011

DELTA

It didn't pass the 'smelt' test

Viewpoint

From Appeal-Democrat - Sunday, Oct. 2, 2011

(Previously printed in the Sept. 29 edition of the Orange County Register.)

Delta water rules smelt of extremism

Commentary

By Steven Greenhut

From Orange County Register - Friday, Sept. 30, 2011

Proposed Delta tunnel could provide huge jobs boost

Blog

By Richard Atwater

From SCWC Water Blog - Friday, Sept. 30, 2011

FISHERIES

Klamath pact doesn't protect the river fishery

Viewpoint

By John DeVoe

From Sacramento Bee - Sunday, Oct. 2, 2011

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