Delta Water and News Links, March 8, 2012

Delta News
Aquafornia.com
Central Valley Business Times: State Water Bond Favored By Half of Likely Voters
http://www.centralvalleybusinesstimes.com/stories/001/?ID=20569
(And that translates to NOT favored by us other half!  Which means there is the percentage of undecideds that need proper education.)

PPIC.org
Link to above-referenced report
http://www.californiaprogressreport.com/site/comment/reply/9921

Aquafornia.com
San Jose Mercury News
Beau Goldie, CEO Santa Clara Valley Water District Supports BDCP
http://www.mercurynews.com/opinion/ci_20123501/beau-goldie-santa-clara-valley-water-district-supports
(Wow...)

Aquafornia.com
Hanford Sentinel
Guest Commentary: Russ Waymire, Water Legislation Could Resolve Crisis
http://www.hanfordsentinel.com/news/opinion/todays_opinions/local-guest-commentary-water-legislation-could-resolve-crisis/article_8b9aefbe-67cc-11e1-94e7-001871e3ce6c.html
(Sure it can and without opening up unintended cans of worms, too...)

California Water News
Aquafornia.com
Napa Valley Register
Michael Waterson: American Canyon Exploring POssibility of Reservoir
http://napavalleyregister.com/eagle/news/local/american-canyon-exploring-possibility-of-a-reservoir/article_d7cdf65a-68e5-11e1-a9a0-0019bb2963f4.html

Aquafornia.com
Fresno Bee News Blog
Mark Grossi: A West-Side Suspicion of Half-Built Federal Projects
http://fresnobeehive.com/news/2012/03/a_west-side_suspicion_of_half-.html

ACWA.com
Lisa Lien-Mager: ACWA Members Get Latest on Water Bond, Legislative Issues
http://www.acwa.com/news/state-legislation/acwa-members-get-latest-water-bond-legislative-issues

Assembly Member Henry Perea (D-Fresno) said few if any new members of the Legislature understand what it took to develop and secure passage of the 2009 package.

“The longer we delay, the less institutional memory there is in the Legislature. That makes it easier for legislators to turn their back on this,” Perea said. He urged stakeholders to engage and be the driving force in identifying what if any changes should be made.

(Hence, why I advocate for California Water Education 101...every last politician, bureaucrat, lobbyist, council member, commission member, appointee and DWR employees in any forum that water is the subject of discussion and vote, should be mandated by law to take and PASS with a minimum 95% and no curve.  I've raised my standards since last time! No pass-y no vote-y.)

ACWA.com
Sarah Langford: Public Hearings Set for CVFPP
http://www.acwa.com/news/water-news/public-hearings-set-central-valley-flood-protection-plan

ACWA.com
Sarah Langford: Comments on Revised Ag Water Measurements Due March 14, 2012
http://www.acwa.com/news/conservation/comments-revised-ag-water-measurement-regulation-due-march-14

ACWA.com
Sarah Langford: House Approves Plan to Expand Renewable Hydropower Production
http://www.acwa.com/news/energy/house-approves-plan-expand-renewable-hydropower-production

Aquafornia.com
New Times San Luis Obispo
Colin Rigley, Editor: Coming Up Dry
http://www.newtimesslo.com/news/7447/coming-up-dry/
(Solar farms consume HUGE amounts of water, FYI)

Aquafornia.com
Santa Barbara Independent: New Water Quality Rules For Ag Land?
http://independent.com/news/2012/mar/08/new-water-quality-rules-ag-land/

Aquafornia.com
LA Daily News
Melissa Pamer: Headworks Reservoirs Are On Tap
http://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_20125878/headworks-reservoirs-are-tap?source=rss

Aquafornia.com
CBS 12 KHSL tv
Bryan Callahan: Costs Rising for North State Farmers
http://www.khsltv.com/content/localnews/story/Costs-Rising-for-North-State-Farmers/2Y6_FQsCYEOqk9RIxVBtRA.cspx

Aquafornia.com
San Jose Mercury News
J.M. Brown: In UCSC Expansion Vote, Panel Waits on Fish Protections, Lowers Overall Water Limit
http://www.record-bee.com/ci_20107330/window-lake-lake-aging-eutrophication

Aquafornia.com
Hanford Sentinel
Seth Nidever: County Declares Drought Emergency
http://www.hanfordsentinel.com/news/local/county-declares-drought-emergency/article_3485c8dc-6891-11e1-aa76-0019bb2963f4.html

Aquafornia.com
Pomeradonews.com
Steve Dreyer: Poway Reps to Oppose Water Rate Increases
http://www.hanfordsentinel.com/news/local/county-declares-drought-emergency/article_3485c8dc-6891-11e1-aa76-0019bb2963f4.html
(Is MWD finally facing their 'tipping point'?)

Aquafornia.com
UTSanDiego.com
Mike Lee: City Storm Water Plans Left in Limbo
http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/mar/07/city-stormwater-plans-left-limbo-coastal-commissio/
(I love when commissioners' faux pas, better yet, Freudian Slips...

Commissioners on the powerful coastal panel lauded San Diego’s efforts to avoid time-consuming permit-by-permit reviews with one plan, but some also expressed concern about the lack of specifics in that document and the potential that commission’s signoff could reduce its leverage over the city’s work for two decades.

Aquafornia.com
Ramona Sentinel
Karen Brainard: Water Authority Gains Lawsuit Support From RMWD, Says Refund Possible
http://www.ramonasentinel.com/2012/03/07/water-authority-gains-lawsuit-support-from-rmwd-says-refund-possible/

Water News
Aquafornia.com
Northern Colorado Business Report
Steve Lynn: Conservationists: Oil Shale Would Sap Colorado River
http://www.ncbr.com/article/20120307/NEWS/120309939

Acuadoc.com
Water Wired: Sixth World Water Forum
http://aquadoc.typepad.com/waterwired/2012/03/marseille-mob.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+typepad%2Fwaterwired+%28WaterWired%29
(Academia must be nice these days...Marseilles, eh??)

Aquafornia.com
USGS on YouTube: What's In Our Water?
http://aquafornia.com/archives/63375

Agriculture News
The Survivalists Blog
M.D. Creekmore: Ten Different Gardening Ideas For Survival
http://www.fastcodesign.com/1669222/a-case-study-in-how-infographics-can-bend-the-truth?partner=homepage_newsletter

Economic News
Aquafornia.com
Circle of Blue
Brett Walton: America's Water Infrastructure Shows Its Age
http://www.circleofblue.org/waternews/2012/world/americas-water-infrastructure-shows-its-age-the-national-debate-about-how-to-pay-for-repairs/?utm_source=Circle+of+Blue+WaterNews+%26+Alerts&utm_campaign=bcc8f1e39b-Weekly_Water_News_March_6_20123_6_2012&utm

And here it is....the Congressional push for water infrastructure funding.
Aquafornia.com
SFGate.com
Press Release: Water Utility Leaders Taking Innovative Infrastructure Proposal to Congress
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2012/03/06/prweb9255320.DTL

Fisheries News
Aquafornia.com
SFGate.com, Peter Fimrite: Fishery Experts Forcast Banner Salmon Season
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/03/07/MN471NHHMF.DTL

Aquafornia.com
Redding Record Searchlight
Damon Arthur: Feds OK Salmon Fishing Alternatives for Ocean
http://www.redding.com/news/2012/mar/07/feds-ok-salmon-fishing-alternatives-for-ocean/?partner=RSS
(Yippee...yummy!!)

Environmental News
Aquafornia.com
The Bay Citizen
John Upton: Soot a Culprit in Glacial Melt
http://www.baycitizen.org/climate-change/story/soot-major-suspect-melting-glaciers/

Aquafornia.com
Record-Bee.com
Jim Steele: Window On the Lake: Lake Aging, Eutrophication
http://www.record-bee.com/ci_20107330/window-lake-lake-aging-eutrophication
(I like the comment!)

Political News
CapitalPress.com
Greg Risling: California Fish and Game Commissioner Gets Public Support
http://www.capitalpress.com/content/AP-Cougar-killing-flap-030712
(Oh my how righteous the Left gets, don't they?)

Aquafornia.com
House Committee on Natural Resources
House Approves Bi-Partisan Plan Create Jobs, Expand Renewable Hydro-power Production
http://naturalresources.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=283657

Fox & Hounds
Ash Roughani, Founder of the California Moderate Party
http://www.foxandhoundsdaily.com/2012/03/moderate-third-party-well-within-reach-of-frustrated-electorate/

Fastcompany.com
Cliff Kuang: A Case Study In How Infographics Can Bend the Truth
http://www.fastcodesign.com/1669222/a-case-study-in-how-infographics-can-bend-the-truth?partner=homepage_newsletter

Science News
Co.Exist.com
Ariel Schwartz: Inside the Solyazyme Kitchen, Where Algae Ice Cream Tastes Good
http://www.fastcoexist.com/1679438/inside-the-solazyme-kitchen-where-algae-ice-cream-tastes-good
(This is pretty cool!)

High Speed Rail News
Fox & Hounds
Ken Orski, California's Bullet Train - Fresh Start and a Change in Direction
http://www.foxandhoundsdaily.com/2012/03/californias-bullet-train-a-fresh-start-and-a-change-in-direction/

California Watch
Fresno Bee, Tim Sheehan: Study: Careful Planning Needs For Rail Stations to Bring Growth
http://www.fastcodesign.com/1669222/a-case-study-in-how-infographics-can-bend-the-truth?partner=homepage_newsletter

California Watch
Will Evans: Survey: Likely Voters Back Tax Increase, Oppose High Speed Rail
http://californiawatch.org/dailyreport/survey-likely-voters-back-tax-increase-oppose-high-speed-rail-15206

California Watch
Fresno Bee, Tim Sheehan: Fresno Officials Seek Answers on Rail Plan's Local Business Effects
http://californiawatch.org/dailyreport/fresno-officials-seek-answers-rail-plans-local-business-effects-15215
(I appreciate the City Council becoming proactive, demanding answers to specific questions within 60 days.  I also appreciate:

Olivier said city businesses look “like little boxes” in aerial photo maps of the rail route. “But inside those buildings are hundreds, and perhaps thousands, of employees who could be affected by this,” he said.

Translate the analogy to the Delta...we are more than just pencil marks on a map.)

Agenda 21/Sustainable Development
Fox & Hounds
Wendy Lack, Board member, Contra Costa Taxpayers Association
http://www.foxandhoundsdaily.com/2012/03/moderate-third-party-well-within-reach-of-frustrated-electorate/
(Very good article regarding dissolution of special districts, advisory councils and taxpayer's expectations and money.)

Litigation News
Aquafornia.com
Napa Valley Register
Sean Scully: Judge Denies Any Conflict of Interest in Reynolds Cases
http://napavalleyregister.com/calistogan/news/local/judge-denies-any-conflict-in-reynolds-cases/article_cceffb12-68c1-11e1-89c4-0019bb2963f4.html
(The weasel should just face it...he ain't getting his legal fees paid for by the City and the pockets of the citizens/taxpayers.  At what point does this become a 'frivolous lawsuit'?

Aquafornia.com
Somach Simmons & Dunn
Adam D. Link: Ninth Circuit Issues Ruling in San Luis Mendota Water Authority vs. United States
http://www.somachlaw.com/alerts.php?id=159

Private Water Law
We Strickland: New Legal Requirements for California Mutual Water Companies
http://privatewaterlaw.com/2012/03/07/new-legal-requirements-for-california-mutual-water-companies/

Events

Just For Fun