Sacramento River
From: Rep. John Garamendi,
Woodland Daily Democrat
California's aging water
infrastructure is insufficient for our present and future needs. Unfortunately,
the current Bay Delta Conservation Plan and its two massive tunnels is a
destructive $25 billion boondoggle that won't solve the problem. California can
solve its water needs and end the water wars that pit north vs. south and water
exporters vs. environmentalists - but not with the BDCP.
Coalition response...While Rep. Garamendi includes several good proposals in his water plan,
his suggestion for moving water through the Delta does not provide a reliable
water supply for farmers and others who are currently suffering under 20 years
of water supply cuts due to Endangered Species Act regulations. The State
Legislature called for a plan in 2009 that would restore the Delta ecosystem
and provide California with a reliable water supply. Bay Delta Conservation
Plan researchers have looked at numerous tunnel proposals and have concluded
the current twin tunnel plan provides the best opportunity to meet the
Legislature's mandate.
Reservoirs
From: Mark Grossi, Fresno Bee
Pine Flat Reservoir is a ghost of
a lake in the Fresno County foothills - a puddle in a 326 billion-gallon gorge.
Holding only 16% of its capacity,
Pine Flat is the best example of why there is high anxiety over the approaching
wet season.
From: Associated Press, Modesto Bee
State water officials are warning
that low water levels in reservoirs across the state should be a warning that
conservation measures might be necessary to get through next year.
Bay Delta
Conservation Plan
From: David Sunding,
Sacramento Bee
The Bay Delta Conservation Plan
is a voluntary search for common ground in one of the nation's highest-stakes
natural resource disputes.
As a balancing act, the plan was
not designed by economists. Yet it appears on track to becoming a sound
investment for dozens of public water agencies and the California public at
large.
From: Tim Rutten, LA Daily News
From: Tim Rutten, Pasadena Star-News
From: Tim Rutten, Torrance Daily Breeze
From: Tim Rutten, Whittier Daily News
From: Tim Rutten, San Gabriel Valley Tribune
From: Tim Rutten, San Bernardino Sun
From: Tim Rutten, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin
From: Tim Rutten, Redlands Daily Facts
From: Tim Rutten, Long Beach Press Telegram
It also might move you to take a
much more serious look at the expansion and overhaul of the California water
system that is among Gov. Jerry Brown's most ambitious - and controversial -
proposals.
Last week, the National Weather
Service's Oxnard facility issued its formal prediction on the coming winter's
precipitation, and the forecast is for "below normal rainfall" in
Southern California and along the Central Coast. If the prediction is accurate,
we're looking at the third consecutive rainy season in which the moisture level
fails to meet recent historical expectations.
From: Jerry Meral, Fox &
Hounds
Fortunately, in this day of
bitter partisan divides, there are some issues which can unite people across
the political spectrum. Water reliability and ecological restoration can
be two such issues.
California's vibrant economy and
strong employment growth are both reliant on a dependable water supply.
An interruption or reduction in the supply of water to most of the state from
the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta would cost the economy as much as $10
billion a year, and up to 40,000 jobs.
Groundwater
From: Heather Hacking, Chico
Enterprise-Record
Landowners will soon be tasked
with new rules for groundwater monitoring being finalized by the Central Valley
Regional Water Quality Control Board.
The program will include new
reports and monitoring managed by water quality coalitions.
From: Editorial Staff, Modesto
Bee
The city of Modesto and the
Modesto Irrigation District, we all know, have had some serious conflicts in
the last two years over water.
But step back from this momentary
conflict and it's obvious that the arrangement of using Tuolumne River water to
supplement well water has provided Modestans a reliable source of water for
household and business use.
From: Ken Carlson, Modesto Bee
Stanislaus County leaders could
approve an ordinance Tuesday to put restrictions on groundwater mining and
out-of-county transfers that threaten to deplete local aquifers.
Drought
From: John Lindsey, SLO
Tribune
So far, 2013 is now the driest
year on record at Cal Poly since 1870 when weather observations started.
The second driest
January-to-October on record at Cal Poly occurred in 1972, when 5.5 inches of
rain fell. The next driest was 1984, when 4.3 inches of precipitation were
recorded. So far this year, only a meager 3.5 inches of rain has fallen.
From: Julie Lynem, SLO Tribune
Faced with a second year of
severe drought, many San Luis Obispo County cattle ranchers have been forced to
thin their herds and bring in costly feed to keep animals healthy.
"We're waiting for the rain,
and it's going to be real ugly if we don't get any this winter," said
Richard Gonzales, who operates a cow-calf operation in Paso Robles.
Salton Sea
From: Editorial Staff,
Imperial Valley Press
The memorandum of understanding
signed Thursday among the Imperial Irrigation District, Imperial County and its
air pollution control district is momentous in many respects. First of all, it
helps mend about 10 years of contentious debate over the validity of the
Quantification Settlement Agreement and the conditions put in place. While
opposing sides no doubt felt they were within their rights to contest - and
still continue to contest - each other, the MOU should act as a gentlemen's
agreement and help facilitate the type of compromise that a year ago might have
been unthinkable.
Fisheries
From: Alex Breitler, Modesto
Bee
Another near-record salmon run is
expected on the Stanislaus River this fall.
So if you've never seen a mighty
Chinook, this might be the year to get out there and find one.
The first opportunity was
Saturday at the Stanislaus River Salmon Festival at Knights Ferry, off Highway
120 east of Oakdale.
Meetings
From: Bob Curtis and Gabriele
Ludwig, Western Farm Press
Workshops covering two topics of
critical importance to California Almond growers - water use and nitrogen
management - will be on tap at The Almond Conference, to be held Dec. 3-5 in
Sacramento.
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