Thursday, July 25, 2013

News articles and links from July 25, 2013


Bay Delta Conservation Plan

From: Maven, Maven's Notebook

Earlier this week on West Marin Community Radio's show, Post Carbon Radio, Deputy Director of Natural Resources Agency Jerry Meral and the Planning and Conservation League's Jonas Minton had a congenial debate on the merits of the Bay Delta Conservation Plan.

From: Alex Breitler, esanjoaquin

Raising the specter of Owens Valley dust storms, San Joaquin County Supervisor Bob Elliott recently asked Valley air quality officials to consider the impacts of the governor's twin tunnels plan.

Delta 

From: Maven, Maven's Notebook

The Delta Stewardship Council's role regarding the BDCP, as well as the multiple lawsuits filed over the Delta Plan were some of the topics discussed as Phil Isenberg, Chair of the Delta Stewardship Council, updated the California Water Commission on the status of the Delta Plan at their July 17 meeting.

Water Supply

From: Kevin Valine, Modesto Bee

A growth management panel has approved a major expansion of almond farming in Stanislaus County's eastern hills and grasslands, where cattle once grazed.

The Stanislaus Local Agency Formation Commission voted 5-0 on Wednesday evening to approve the Oakdale Irrigation District's request to annex 7,296 acres of land east of Oakdale and owned by Trinitas Partners LLC of Menlo Park.

From: Press Release, USBR

The Bureau of Reclamation has recently finalized four water-related Reclamation Manual Policies and Directives and Standards. These new policies accomplish the following goals: (1) better aligns the definitions of irrigation water use and municipal and industrial water use with relevant law; (2) provides improved parameters for contract price negotiations associated with future water transfers; and (3) fills policy gaps, and clarifies existing policy as it relates to the cost of Reclamation-supplied water. The general purpose of these revised policies is to direct Reclamation staff in duties relating to the development, negotiation, execution and administration of water-related contracts.

Groundwater

From: Staff, Modesto Bee

How interesting.

Four-plus years ago, when Stanislaus County leaders asked their Agricultural Advisory Committee to draft a proposed ordinance to restrict export (sales) of groundwater outside the county, there was fierce opposition from some irrigation district leaders, who basically said, You're not in the water business; we are. Go away.

Today, one Modesto Irrigation District director, Larry Byrd, wants the county to do something immediately about the overdraft of groundwater on the east side of the county, where he and other property owners have had their wells affected by new and deeper wells drilled by others.

Transfers

From: Press Release, USBR

The Bureau of Reclamation today released final environmental documents for the approval of the temporary transfer of up to 5,000 acre-feet of Central Valley Project water from the Clear Creek Community Service District to the Orland-Artois Water District, which is served by the Tehama-Colusa Canal, from July through October 2013.

Klamath

From: Staff, Register-Guard  
To almost no one's great surprise, the 2010 agreement to restore the Klamath Basin did not end the region's epic battle over water rights. Yet it remains the best hope of removing dams, allocating water, restoring streams and helping the fish, farmers, tribes and communities that rely on the shallow, sick Klamath River that for decades has been the source of fierce controversy.

Levees

From: Pamela Martineau, ACWA

The Department of Water Resources (DWR) announced today that it has approved nearly $30 million in funding for 14 reclamation district projects in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta that will strengthen nearly 90 miles of levees.

From: Press Release, Central Valley Business Times

Nearly 90 miles of levees in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta are to be rebuilt to one degree or another to provide protection against flooding, the state Department of Water Resources says.

Fisheries

From: Barbara Arrigoni, Chico Enterprise-Record

An abundance of spring-run salmon has been seen this year in the Feather River in Oroville, and officials said they expect the fall run to be plentiful, too.

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