Water supply

Study disputes need to conserve farm water

Story

From Bakersfield Californian - Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2011

From California Watch - Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2011

From Modesto Bee - Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2011

Coalition response...This story is factually incorrect in several areas. First, the study by the Center for Irrigation Technology at CSU Fresno does not dispute the need to conserve ag water as stated by the headline. The study disputes claims that millions of acre-feet of water could be used elsewhere if farmers improved their conservation practices. Conservation is an important tool for all California water users and to suggest otherwise is a fallacy.

Second, the Pacific Institute suffers from an overwhelming misunderstanding of irrigation practices in agriculture. Many crops are not suitable for drip or micro-irrigation systems despite their claim that switching would automatically conserve water or increase production. These types of pressurized irrigation systems also consume more energy, something the Pacific Institute expresses concern over in some of their other reports. Numerous factors affect the decisions farmers make on selecting an irrigation systems and that's what dedicated irrigation experts consider when designing an irrigation system.

Lastly, this article suggests that farmers are pumping from groundwater aquifers because it is cheaper, which "makes crops like rice seem artificially cheap to produce." This statement is false and contrary to the reality of rice farming. Rice farmers in the Sacramento Valley rely on surface water delivered by local public water agencies to provide the needed irrigation water. In fact, more than 95% of the valley's rice acreage is irrigated with surface water. Furthermore, despite quoted claims to the contrary in the article, the consumptive use of water in rice is about the same as any other crop grown in the same region.

California agriculture is complex. Understanding it on a level that is useful in the debate over water policy requires more than a spreadsheet and an agenda.

PEOPLE

Aftermath

Blog

By John Howard

From California Water Wars - Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2011

Former Judge Wanger representing Westlands Water District

Story

From Fresno Bee - Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2011

Judge Wanger back in the news

Blog

By Alex Breitler

From Record Blog - Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2011

Ex-judge in state water cases now lawyer for big farm district

Story

From Contra Costa Times - Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2011

Former judge goes to work for Westlands Water

Story

From Sacramento Bee - Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2011

DELTA

Comments taken on divisive Delta Plan

Story

From Union Democrat - Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2011

Federal, state agencies pledge 'transparency' on Bay-Delta Conservation Plan

Story

From Lodi News-Sentinel - Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2011

Federal, State partners announce updates on transparency, release of draft technical documents

Press release

From BDCP - Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2011

Delta studies to be released after complaints from Congress, others

Story

From Contra Costa Times - Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2011

FISHERIES

San Joaquin River salmon restoration in a year? Really?

Blog

By Mark Grossi

From Fresno Bee - Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2011

News stories from November 29, 2011

Delta

Local politicians blast Delta plan

Story

From Lodi News Sentinel - Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2011

S.J. reps oppose water contract

Story

From The Record - Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2011

Coalition response...The MOA clearly states that the Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Marine Fisheries Service and the California Department of Water Resources retains the decision-making process of the BDCP. In addition, the habitat conservation plan, central to the BDCP, is ultimately subject to review by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Individuals and groups who object to the public water agencies being added as permittees to the BDCP fail to acknowledge that it is a common practice when developing a habitat conservation plan to add those who fund it to the MOA.

WATER SUPPLY

Alliance forms to end Klamath water war

Editorial

From Press Democrat - Friday, Nov. 25, 2011

DELTA

Cost-Benefit Analysis and the Co-Equal Goals

Blog

By Jeff Michael

From Valley Economy - Monday, Nov. 28, 2011

News stories from November 28, 2011

WATER SUPPLY

State hearing aimed at the Salton Sea

Story

From IV Press - Monday, Nov. 28, 2011

Ag conservation not the key to solving California's water woes

Story

From Dairy Herd Network - Sunday, Nov. 27, 2011

Where I stand on the Klamath dams

Commentary

By Rep. Wally Herger

From Record Searchlight - Sunday, Nov. 27, 2011

Oregon dam removal may cost California

Story

From Fresno Bee - Thursday, Nov. 24, 2011

Feds face water trial in Stockton East district

Story

From Fresno Bee - Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2011

DELTA

How ruling affects New Melones

Commentary

By Jeff Shields/Steve Knell

From Modesto Bee - Friday, Nov. 25, 2011

QUANTIFICATION SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT

IID waits on Quantification Settlement Agreement decision, though changes are needed

Story

From IV Press - Sunday, Nov. 27, 2011

FISHERIES

Striper battle reveals bizarre fisheries policy

Editorial

From Record Searchlight - Monday, Nov. 28, 2011

Salmon nests parched

Story

From The Record - Monday, Nov. 28, 2011

Stanislaus River's salmon eggs lost after dam releases

Story

From Modesto Bee - Sunday, Nov. 27, 2011

Bureau slammed for 'needless' loss of salmon eggs

Story

From Oakdale Leader - Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2011

Feds search for best way to steer Merced River salmon

Story

From Fresno Bee - Sunday, Nov. 27, 2011

News articles and links from Nov. 23, 2011

Fisheries

Striper rules may be relaxed

Story

From Record Searchlight - Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2011

Coalition response...It's pretty easy to understand the cause of dropping salmon numbers when one realizes that in recent years the striped bass population has increased while the salmon numbers have declined. Studies have also pointed to the number of salmon salvaged at the Delta pumps are significantly less than the numbers lost to predation. Other factors impacting the salmon decline include disappearing habitat and food supply caused by wastewater discharges into the waterways from Delta area cities. Any attempt to single out pumping as the leading cause for a dwindling salmon population is simply wrong.

While JD Richey may now claim that pumping is a root cause of the salmon's woes, in March 2009 he wrote in Western Outdoor Magazine: "The peak of the baby salmon's downstream journey corresponds with the spring spawning run of striped bass. Somewhere along the line the two crash headlong into one another. It's a one-sided blood bath, and when the spray and foam settles, the stripers emerge fat and happy while the Chinook suffer heavy losses." You can read the full article here: www.farmwater.org/striperseatsalmonsmolt.pdf

The article further explains, "The whole key to this game is to find areas where stripers can easily pick off salmon as thy move downstream."

There are multiple problems affecting the health of the Delta. A successful solution will look honestly at all of them and address them as needed.

WATER SUPPLY

DOI extends Klamath Dam public comment period

Story

From Siskiyou Daily News - Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2011

DELTA

New delta report adds to eventual master document

Story

From Ag Alert - Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2011

Drought and rising temperatures will challenge state's farmers, experts say

Story

From Contra Costa Times - Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2011

The Delta's 'diet' and the scientific debate

Column

By Tom Philp

From SF Chronicle - Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2011

News articles and links from Nov. 22, 2011

Water supply

Study finds farmers efficiently use water

Story

From Porterville Recorder - Monday, Nov. 21, 2011

Coalition response...Nearly 30 years after a University of California, Cooperative Extension study concluded that farmers are not wasting water a new study arrived at similar conclusions. A major finding of the current study contradicts a popular claim that increased conservation on the farm could result in millions of acre-feet of water available for other uses.

The 1982 report has been updated by researchers at The Center for Irrigation Technology at California State University, Fresno. The updated study was released supporting many of the same conclusions.

The new study shows that only 1.3 percent of existing supplies, or about 330,000 acre-feet of water could be conserved on farms if farmers changed their irrigation practices or shifted to different crops.

Changes in irrigation practices and crop patterns also have the potential to cause negative impacts. Changing from furrow to drip irrigation can mean less water to replenish aquifers, which many rural communities rely on for domestic water supplies.

The new study also shows that farmers have been making excellent decisions on how to manage the water they use to efficiently grow food and fiber, create jobs and significantly contribute to California's economy.

Delta

An additional 391 billion gallons of water from the Delta isn't "more water"?

Blog

By Doug Obegi

From NRDC - Monday, Nov. 21, 2011

Environmental Water Caucus Slams Flawed MOA for Bay Delta Plan

Blog

By Dan Bacher

From IndyBay Media - Monday, Nov. 21, 2011

(The following response is posted to the above two articles.)

Coalition response....Is it wrong to sign a contract and then expect it to be fulfilled? Most people realize that they are committing themselves to the conditions of a contract when they affix their name to it and they plan for the future according to those conditions. In the case of farmers receiving water that flows through the Delta, seeds are planted and workers are hired to nurture a crop to harvest. Once harvested, the crop may move in several different channels that ultimately end up with the consumer. During this process the lives of millions of people are touched. Is this wrong?

BDCP critics seem to focus on a single train of thought---halting water deliveries and keeping the water flowing through the Delta to the ocean. Yet, those who have worked for years in making BDCP a reality have had a multi-pronged approach that includes a return to contracted deliveries of water in a manner that does not harm the Delta. Ecosystem benefits to the Delta are an important part of the BDCP. Is this wrong?

Individuals who brush aside the resulting benefits to these water deliveries cry out against the BDCP and offer no alternative, other than a one-sided approach to California's water issues that serves no one but themselves. Their alternative ignores the lives of millions of people who rely on a food supply that is produced from these water deliveries.

WATER SUPPLY

Skyrocketing watermaster fees shock irrigators

Story

From Capital Press - Monday, Nov. 21, 2011

DWR announces 60 percent initial State Water Project allocation for 2012

Press Release

From SWC - Monday, Nov. 21, 2011

Conservation takes flight

Blog

By By Mark Biddlecomb

From CalRice - Monday, Nov. 21, 2011

DELTA

Available for review and comment through February 2, 2012

Announcement

From DSC

FISHERIES

Young salmon made it through San Joaquin this year

Blog

By Mark Grossi

From Fresno Bee Hive - Monday, Nov. 21, 2011

QUANTIFICATION SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT

Appellate court in Sacramento hears QSA debate

Story

From IV Press - Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2011

Judge Voices Support For Calif. Water Pact

Story

From Boston Globe - Monday, Nov. 21, 2011

From Contra Costa Times - Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2011

From Fresno Bee - Monday, Nov. 21, 2011

From Modesto Bee - Monday, Nov. 21, 2011

From The Record - Monday, Nov. 21, 2011

From Record Searchlight - Monday, Nov. 21, 2011

From Union-Tribune - Monday, Nov. 21, 2011

From KCRA-TV - Monday, Nov. 21, 2011

News articles and links from Nov. 21, 2011

Delta

Stop latest Delta threat: A political power play

Viewpoint

by Reps. George Miller/Doris Matsui

From Sacramento Bee - Sunday, Nov. 20, 2011

Coalition response...The authors write about an assumed power that doesn't exist. The addition of public water agencies to the BDCP Memorandum of Agreement does not grant ruling power to these groups. Instead, the MOA clearly states that the Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Marine Fisheries Service and the California Department of Water Resources retains the decision-making process of the BDCP. In addition, the habitat conservation plan, central to the BDCP, is ultimately subject to review by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Presenting biased information ignores the facts and does not serve the purpose of securing California's water future.

WATER SUPPLY

Huell Howser talks about farm water and saving the Delta

Video

From CFWC - Monday, Nov. 21, 2011

Calif. water projections high after water winter

Story

From Fresno Bee - Friday, Nov. 18, 2011

From Modesto Bee - Friday, Nov. 18, 2011

Family Water Alliance guarding farmers' rights for 20 years

Story

From Colusa Sun-Herald - Friday, Nov. 18, 2011

DELTA

Delta ISB seeks feedback to learn how Delta science can meet decision-makers' needs

Announcement

From Aquafornia - Monday, Nov. 21, 2011

Bay Delta water theft

Letter

From Sacramento Bee - Saturday, Nov. 19, 2011

Bay Delta boondoggle

Letter

From Sacramento Bee - Saturday, Nov. 19, 2011

QUANTIFICATION SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT

Imperial and San Diego file petition on Salton Sea mitigation water

Blog

From Bay Delta Blog - Monday, Nov. 21, 2011

Judges to consider overturning 2003 California water pact

Story

From Coachella Desert Sun - Monday, Nov. 21, 2011

From Contra Costa Times - Sunday, Nov. 20, 2011

From Fresno Bee - Sunday, Nov. 20, 2011

From Modesto Bee - Sunday, Nov. 20, 2011

From Sacramento Bee - Sunday, Nov. 20, 2011

From SJ Mercury News - Monday, Nov. 21, 2011

From SD Union-Tribune - Sunday, Nov. 20, 2011

From SF Chronicle - Monday, Nov. 21, 2011

From Record Searchlight - Sunday, Nov. 20, 2011

From CBS 13 - Sunday, Nov. 20, 2011

From CBS 47 - Sunday, Nov. 20, 2011

Court case highlights questions about Salton Sea's future

Story

From LA Times - Saturday, Nov. 19, 2011

FISHERIES

Water districts accuse feds of killing salmon on Stan

Story

From Union Democrat - Friday, Nov. 18, 2011