Farm Water News: May 2013

Friday, May 31, 2013

News articles and links from May 31, 2013

Bay Delta Conservation Plan

Gebhard: Another attempted hijacking of our water

From: Dave Gebhard, Lake County News

Coalition response...The Bay Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP) is being developed to provide a reliable supply of water to 25 million Californians and thousands of farmers. This is water they already have a right to receive. BDCP will also restore the Delta ecosystem as more than a 100,000 acres of habitat will be created that protects fish.

Those who benefit from the increased water reliability and the ecosystem improvements will pay their share of their costs associated with BDCP. San Joaquin Valley farms, which are mostly family operations, will continue to provide a healthy and affordable food supply that Californians enjoy.

The flow of water through the tunnels will be governed according to available supply. When the flows are high, more water will move through the tunnels. Lower flows mean less water will be exported. See more at www.farmwater.org/exportthrottle.pdf.

Sac River a great all-time hot spot

From: Bill Ryan, Napa Valley Register

Coalition response...Describing the nearly 4,000 family farmers in the San Joaquin Valley as "Wall Street farmers" is far from reality. Second and third-generations operate most of these farms, including sons and daughters who saw their parents and grandparents work to develop the land into the most productive farmland in the world.

The Bay Delta Conservation Plan, as mandated by the California Legislature, is a proposal to create a reliable water supply and restore the Delta ecosystem. The water will flow to 25 million Californians and 3 million acres of farmland. Those individuals and cities have a right to the water and BDCP provides a solution for them to receive it while increasing habitat that will provide protection for Delta fish.

Bay Delta Conservation Plan

War over water heating up in the Delta

From: Mike Luery, KCRA 3 TV

BDCP Road Map

From: Maven, Maven's Notebook

Opposition To Governor's Water Conservation Plan Grows

From: KCBS

NorCal Democrats hate delta tunnels -- where's LaMalfa?

From: Bruce Ross, Redding Record Searchlight

California members of Congress blast Bay Delta Conservation Plan and process

From: Lake County News

EDITORIAL: Restoring Delta requires plan that is fair and science based

From: Fresno Bee

Water Supply

Dry weather making farming tough

From: Michael Lingberg, Porterville Recorder

Delta

Strong words

From: Alex Breitler, eSanJoaquin

Rivers

Letter: Save our irrigation water

From: Carol Campodonica, Modesto Bee

Fresno State study warns of climate effects on San Joaquin River

From: Mark Grossi, Fresno Beehive

Fisheries

Climate change study: 82 percent of Calif. native fish species risk extinction

From: Matt Weiser, Sacramento Bee

California native fish could disappear with climate change

From: Bettina Boxall, LA Times

Thursday, May 30, 2013

News articles and links from May 30, 2013

Bay Delta Conservation Plan

Cost of governor's twin tunnels plan disputed

From: Central Valley Business Times

Coalition response...Opponents to the Bay Delta Conservation Plan continue to reject the science that has been conducted over the years developing the current proposal. Economist Jeff Michael from the University of the Pacific rejects the work of economist David Sunding from the University of California, Berkeley. Other critics refuse to budge from their positions. Now is the time that all interests should put aside their self-interests and work together to resolve the water problems confronting California.

Letter: Brown's tunnel project would destroy Delta communities

From: Cathy O'Connor, Sacramento Bee

Coalition response...It is time for all Californians to come together, including Delta advocates, to solve problems that in some cases have been 150 years in the making. Thousands of farms and 25 million Californians depend on water that flows through the Delta and they have experienced water shortages that have caused land to go unplanted and a cut back in jobs on San Joaquin Valley farms. The Bay Delta Conservation Plan is intended to fix these delivery problems and at the same time restore the Delta ecosystem.

Letter: Pistachio exporters should pay full cost for scarce water

From: Matania Ginosar, Sacramento Bee

Coalition response...Where are the water subsidies that so many people are quick to claim? No subsidies exist for any user receiving water from the State Water Project. In fact, users pay a full contracted amount even in years when they receive less than their contracts call for. Congress decided when the Central Valley Project that the interest applied to construction costs would be waived and that is the only amount that is not charged. Considering the return in billions of dollars of crops produced with this water, it has been a great investment for the American people.

People also need to realize the role that agricultural exports play in our state's economy. More than $16 billion of farm products are exported each year and that means jobs and tax dollars for California's economy.

Bay Delta Conservation Plan

BDCP is cost-effective water supply solution

From: Press release, California Farm Water Coalition

State to Release Final Set of Chapters of Bay Delta Conservation Plan Administrative Draft

From: Press release, Kern County Water Agency

State Study Shows $5 Billion Net Benefit of Bay Delta Conservation Plan Twin Tunnels

From: Press release, State Water Contractors

Gov. Brown's Water Plan Cost, Benefit Details Released

From: Press release, California Natural Resources Agency

Remaining Administrative Draft BDCP Chapters Released for Public Review

From: Announcement, BDCP

State Officials Release Draft of BDCP Fiscal Analysis - $5 Billion Benefit Estimated

From: Pamela Martineau, ACWA

California plan to overhaul water system hub to cost $25 billion

From: Bettina Boxall, Los Angeles Times

Delta tunnels to cost $24.5 billion

From: Wyatt Buchanan, SF Chronicle

Delta tunnels: Firmer cost estimates spelled out for Gov. Jerry Brown's water plan

From: Paul Burgarino and Steven Harmon, Contra Costa Times

From: Paul Burgarino and Steven Harmon, San Jose Mercury News

Delta tunnels cost reaches $24.5 billion

From: Alex Breitler, The Record

State officials, President Obama, support Bay Delta plan

From: Steve Scauzillo, San Gabriel Valley Tribune

WATER: Cost estimates for Delta fix released

From: Janet Zimmerman, Riverside Press-Enterprise

Final chapters of Bay Delta Conservation Plan released

From: Heather Hacking, Chico Enterprise-Record

Another Delta report: Tunnel plan brings $5B benefit

From: Ben van der Meer, Sacramento Business Journal

Cost of tunnels, delta restoration estimated at $24.54 billion

From: Associated Press, The Record

From: Associated Press, Fresno Bee

From: Associated Press, San Francisco Chronicle

Gov. Brown's Water Plan Cost, Benefit Details Released

From: Nancy Vogel, California Majority Report

Price tag revealed on water tunnel through delta

From: ABC 7 TV

Delta water plan's price pegged at $25 billion

From: John Myers, NBC 10 TV

Price Tag for California Water Plan: $25 Billion

From: Amy Quinn, Capital Public Radio

How big was the State Water Project?

From: Bruce Ross, Redding Record Searchlight

Groundwater

Deadline passes on Merced County nitrogen sign-ups

From: Joshua Emerson Smith, Merced Sun-Star

Salton Sea

Valley Voice: Let's get busy and save the Salton Sea

From: Colt Stewart, Desert Sun

Farming

Farmers turn to drip-tape irrigation to save water

From:Catherine Green, Los Angeles Times

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

News articles and links from May 29, 2013

Bay Delta Conservation Plan

Viewpoints: Brown tries to roll Delta in rush to dig tunnels

From: Stephen Heringer, Sacramento Bee

Coalition response...Steve Heringer has a right to question the impacts of new Delta water conveyance on his family's farming operation. But neither he nor the Delta as a whole exists in a vacuum. Thousands of San Joaquin Valley farms and 25 million Californians depend on water that flows through the Delta and they have already faced significant water shortages - shortages that the Bay Delta Conservation Plan is intended to fix. This is a time when Californians should come together, including Delta advocates, to solve problems that in some cases have been 150 years in the making.

Bay Delta Conservation Plan

AM Alert: California counties make their case in Sacramento

From: Sacramento Bee

Final Chapters Of BDCP To Be Released

From: Amy Quinton, Capital Public Radio

Cost of Bay Delta tunnel project could be $9,000 a household

From: Steve Scauzillo, San Gabriel Valley Tribune

From: Steve Scauzillo, Los Angeles Daily News

From: Steve Scauzillo, Pasadena Star News

From: Steve Scauzillo, San Bernardino Sun

From: Steve Scauzillo, Whittier Daily News

Delta

San Luis and Westlands File Legal Challenge to Delta Plan

From: Pamela Martineau, ACWA

Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Plan details guiding principles

From: Editorial, Modesto Bee

From: Editorial, Merced Sun-Star

First lawsuit filed

From: Alex Breitler, The Record

Water Supply

Water prices threaten to further shrink region's ag land

From: Chris Nichols, San Diego Union-Tribune

Groundwater

Judge reverses direction, farmers will see water rules sooner

From: Mark Grossi, Fresno Beehive

Rivers

States dependent on Colorado River consider conservation effort

From: Tony Perry, Los Angeles Times

Colorado River study projects large shortfall

From: Ian James, The Desert Sun

New Effort Looks at Future of Colorado River

From: Matt Williams, ACWA

Colorado River users form panels on supply concern

From: Associated Press, Fresno Bee

From: Associated Press, Modesto Bee

From: Associated Press, CBS 2-TV

Environment: All eyes on the Colorado River

From: Bob Berwyn, Summit County Citizens Voice

Quantification Settlement Agreement

Imperial Irrigation District to disburse millions in Local Entity funds

From: Alejandro Davila, Imperial Valley Press

Fisheries

South county salmon?: Feds to study upper Sacramento reintroduction

From: John Bowman, Siskiyou Daily News

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

News articles and links from May 28, 2013

Bay Delta Conservation Plan

Letter: There's a better idea than Delta tunnels

From: Jim King, Fresno Bee

Coalition response...It would require 120 desalination plants the size of the recently approved Poseidon facility in San Diego County to meet the 6 MAF requirements of the State Water Project and federal Central Valley Project. With 840 miles of California coastline, a desal plant would have to be placed every seven miles and would still not connect to our current water distribution system.

The BDCP is a much cheaper and more environmentally-friendly solution.

We must avoid Delta disaster

From: Bill Jennings, The Record

Coalition response...Public water agencies have already spent $150 million to fund the research by scientists, economists and engineers to develop the Bay Delta Conservation Plan with the expected results of a reliability in water deliveries, which they have a right to receive. That reliability is absent today because of environmental regulations that have taken water away from 25 million Californians and thousands of farmers. See the impacts caused by these regulations at farmwater.org/watersupplycutshurtusall.pdf.

The public water users already have the right to receive water that flows through the Delta and is planned to be conveyed through the tunnels. The amount of water that will flow through the tunnels will be limited by the actual day-by-day conditions and flows of the Sacramento River. Studies have concluded that water diversions will likely be in the range of average exports over the past 20 years. When flows are high more water can be moved through the tunnels. When flows are lower less water will be moved...or none at all under dry conditions. Learn more at www.farmwater.org/exportthrottle.pdf.

Endangered species will not benefit from "new state-of-the-art fish screens in the south Delta," as proposed by the author. Instead, fish will be trapped in a channel with no way out that will become heavily populated by predator fish waiting for a meal. BDCP scientists and engineers have already concluded that screens at the south Delta pumps will not help the fish; yet, the author and others continue to ignore years of research and study.

The Bay Delta Conservation Plan remains the best alternative to provide a reliable supply of water and at the same time restore the Delta ecosystem. Accomplishing these two goals as set forth by the California Legislature will provide a secure water future for our state.

Delta

Guest commentary: Costa's move to gut the ESA will destroy the Delta

From: Carolee Krieger, Contra Costa Times

Coalition response...Carolee Krieger is wrong about the proposed actions within Rep. Costa's legislation and she exaggerates the potential impacts on the ecosystem.

The legislation introduced by Rep. Costa, H.R. 1927: More Water and Security for Californians Act, will not "drain the Sacramento/San Joaquin Delta" and her interpretation is simply false. In fact, a careful read of the proposal at http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/113/hr1927/text reveals numerous safeguards to preserve in-Delta water supplies and enhancements to improve fish species but Kreiger is betting that you won't read it.

Courts

Water Authority files for writ; disagrees with Delta Stewardship Council

From: Dan Nelson, San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority

Westlands Water District Files Legal Action Against Delta Plan

From: Tom Birmingham, Westlands Water District

Westlands files Bay Delta suit

From: Fresno Business Journal

Tenacious water lawyers needed immediately!

From: John Bass, Delta National Park

Bay Delta Conservation Plan

Labor-backed group runs radio ads touting Gov. Jerry Brown's tunnel project

From: Steven Harmon, San Jose Mercury News