Thursday, August 22, 2013

News articles and links from August 22, 2013


Bay Delta Conservation Plan

From: Editorial Staff, Paradise Post 

We are finally hearing lots of chatter about the proposed Delta water tunnels from not only those directly involved, but from the broader citizen base. Water is our gold up here in Northern California - an asset to protect and strengthen.

Coalition response...Questions from individuals and organizations from throughout the State, including the Sacramento Valley, have been directed for years toward the Bay Delta Conservation Plan. Questions related to protection of local water supplies have been answered with existing California law that safeguards areas of origin and prohibits any new projects from negatively impacting existing water rights.

The Bay Delta Conservation Plan is an effort to obtain a 50-year endangered species permit that will improve the Delta through habitat restoration and protection of species. In doing so it is expected that water supply reliability will improve for users who have a legal right to use existing water supplies. The BDCP does not increase the average amount of water that has been delivered through the Delta over the past 20 years. This permit should improve water supply reliability for almost 4,000 farms and 25 million Californians. The importance of a dependable supply of water to farmers means California consumers can depend on a variety of safe, healthy and affordable food products from local sources. 

An explanation of the operation of the proposed tunnels as been on the BDCP website for five months with an easy-to-understand diagram of variable export rates based on Sacramento River flow conditions. When water levels are high in the Sacramento River, more water will be available to move through the tunnels. When river levels are low, less water will be diverted. Individuals seeking to learn more about the flow of water through the tunnels can read it themselves at  http://bit.ly/18FGxrl.

Attempts to compare the proposed tunnels to the Peripheral Canal of 1982 are an effort that is absent in facts. Capacity of the tunnels is only 9,000 cubic feet per second and the canal would have transported 21,800 cfs. Many other improvements have been incorporated into the current BDCP process thanks to public input and responsiveness by the Resources Agency. Learn more about the differences between yesterday's canal and today's state-of-the-art tunnel proposal at  www.farmwater.org/p-canalcomparison.pdf.

The economic impact study of the tunnel proposal identifies an $84 billion contribution to the State's economy and $11 billion in new job wages during the first 10 years of the permit. Who is opposed to that as the state recovers from tough economic times? 

From: Editorial Staff, Vacaville Reporter

The Bay Delta Conservation Plan took a dramatic turn last week, acknowledging some of the concerns of Delta farmers by re-routing a proposed massive tunnel system to affect a smaller area and stay mostly on public land.

Coalition response...This editorial would have California turn its back on more than a century of water deliveries that began in the 1800s as water districts were formed to deliver water to areas of need. Since those early beginnings, more water districts formed and delivery projects by California and the federal government have worked together to provide water that has fueled the growth of one of the top ten economies in the world.

The Bay Delta Conservation Plan is an effort to obtain a 50-year endangered species permit that will improve the Delta through habitat restoration and protection of species. In doing so it is expected that water supply reliability will improve for users who have a legal right to use existing water supplies. The BDCP does not increase the average amount of water that has been delivered through the Delta over the past 20 years. This permit should improve water supply reliability for almost 4,000 farms and 25 million Californians. The importance of a dependable supply of water to farmers means California consumers can depend on a variety of safe, healthy and affordable food products from local sources.

Trinity River 

From: Glen Haagenson, KFSN-TV 30

A Native American tribe from Northern California came to Fresno Wednesday. They want a federal judge to allow an increase in the flow of the Trinity River to protect one of the largest salmon runs in history.

The protestors outside the Federal Courthouse in Fresno on Wednesday were members of the Hoopa tribe. They came nearly 500 miles from their reservation near Eureka to make their voices heard.

Water Supply

From: Dennis Pollock, Western Farm Press

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation is looking into increasing the capacity of the San Luis Reservoir in Merced County, a key water storage basin for the central San Joaquin Valley, says Michael Connor, who has been nominated by the president to become deputy U.S. Interior secretary.

From: Elaina Rusk, KERO-TV 23

Kern County has experienced two winters of below-average rainfall, degrading the region to 'extreme drought levels', the National Weather Service in Hanford reports.

This summer has been one of the driest starts to a year on record, the NWS said. Records show Bakersfield has only collected 2.36 inches of rain since January 1, when we're used to an average of 4.41 inches. We've only seen a trace amount of rain for the months of July and August, which was simply thanks to the monsoonal thunderstorms moving in from the desert.

Water Bond

From: Editorial Staff, Riverside Press-Enterprise  

A bloated, pork-filled water bond has little chance of winning approval from skeptical taxpayers. But California does need to ensure a reliable water supply for the state's future. So legislators should craft a less costly, better targeted bond measure that focuses on the state's most pressing water needs.

Salton Sea

From: Janet Zimmerman, Riverside Press-Enterprise

After nearly five years in the making, federal and state agencies have released a scientific plan for monitoring and assessing habitat improvement projects at the Salton Sea.

The "Salton Sea Ecosystem Monitoring and Assessment Plan" sets out a framework for evaluating the effectiveness of projects at California's largest lake, which is shared by Riverside and Imperial counties.

Bay Delta Conservation Plan

From: Katrina Camerson, Chico Enterprise-Record  
From: Katrina Camerson, Marysville Appeal-Democrat

Concerned Californians from near and far filled the Chico Masonic Family Center on Wednesday to gain a better understanding of the Bay Delta Conservation Plan and its twin tunnels.

Names

From: Staff, Fresno Bee

David Orth, general manager of the Kings River Conservation District, has been appointed to a four-year term on the California Water Commission, which advises the Department of Water Resources on many issues.

From: Staff, Fresno Business Journal

David Orth, manager of the Kings River Conservation District, has been appointed to the California Water Commission.

From: Alex Breitler, esanjoaquin

Gov. Jerry Brown today announced two new appointments to the California Water Commission, and both men have ties to powerful water districts supporting the Bay Delta Conservation Plan.

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