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Tribe, Fishing Groups Sue Over Klamath River Water Allocations

/in , /by /Jefferson Public Radio (Ashland, Ore.)by Jes Burns

Fishing groups and tribes have filed a lawsuit challenging new endangered species protection guidelines for the Klamath River. The suit targets the biological opinion, which is an assessment of how the Bureau of Reclamation manages river flow, irrigation water and levels in Upper Klamath Lake to ensure protection of coho salmon and two species of sucker fish. The newest opinion was finalized earlier this year. The lawsuit filed by the Yurok Tribe, the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations and the Institute for Fisheries Resource says the biological opinion is too permissive, allowing irrigation withdrawals at the expense of fish.

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OPINION: Klamath Dams Critical To Fighting Wildfires

/in , , /by /Herald and News (Klamath Falls, Ore.)by The Siskiyou County Natural Resources Department

Wildfire season is upon us once again in the Klamath Basin. When homes and lives are at stake in a wildfire, nothing is more important than having firebreaks and a readily available water source. That’s exactly what’s provided by the reservoirs created by dams on the Klamath River. The fact that the dams and those reservoirs are being targeted for removal by the Klamath River Renewal Corporation (KRRC) is a great source of worry for residents, firefighters, and the County of Siskiyou. Citizen safety is a primary responsibility of the county. The reservoirs of Copco and Iron Gate have proven critical to saving local communities from wildfire for many years.

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Facilitator To Aid Interior On Water Talks

/in , /by /Herald and News (Klamath Falls, Ore.)by Holly Dillemuth

A coalition aimed at bringing multiple parties together to discuss the future of water resources in the Klamath Basin is hiring an additional facilitator to help with the effort. Alan Mikkelsen, senior advisor to the Secretary of the Interior on water and western resource issues, said Friday he is continuing to take part in the so-called “Coalition of the Willing” meetings in addition to the facilitator. Mikkelsen met with the coalition at the building housing the Bureau of Land Management office in Medford on July 30 and 31. “This is supplementing what we’ve been doing,” Mikkelsen said, of the facilitator position.

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The Days Have Been Getting Shorter Since June. So Why Does The Weather Keep Getting Warmer?

/in , , /by /The Washington Postby Jeremy Deaton

It’s been a little over five weeks since the summer solstice, the longest day of the year. Since June 21, the days have grown progressively shorter. The sun has been in retreat, casting off a little less light every day, beaming down a little less heat. And yet, in many parts of the United States, the weather has only gotten warmer. Scientists have a name for this phenomenon: seasonal lag. In many places, the hottest day of the year comes weeks, or even months, after the longest day of the year. The reason for that has a lot to do with how water soaks up heat.

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Chemistry In Pictures Water Photo Contest Winners

/in , /by /Chemical and Engineering Newsby Alexandra A. Taylor

The ACS Fall 2019 National Meeting & Exposition in San Diego will explore all things water. To celebrate, Chemistry in Pictures held a water-themed contest in partnership with the ACS Committee on Environmental Improvement throughout the month of June. We looked for high-quality entries with a splash of creativity that help demonstrate scientific concepts. The winners featured here will receive a reusable water bottle and a cash prize. Look for these photos on display at ACS San Diego.

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Water Uncertainty Frustrates Victims Of California’s Worst Wildfire

/in , , /by /NPRby Kirk Siegler

Tammy Waller thought she was one of the lucky ones after her home in Magalia survived California’s most destructive wildfire ever, but her community remains a ghostly skeleton of its former self. Hazmat crews are still clearing properties, and giant dump trucks haul away toxic debris. Signs on the water fountains in the town hall say, “Don’t drink.” Waller remembers the day she came back home after the Camp Fire. “When I first walked in, I went to my kitchen sink and turned on the water, and it was just literally black,” Waller says.

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Feds Say Fisheries Are In Good Shape, But Climate Challenges Loom

/in , /by /Courthouse News Service (Pasadena, Calif.)by Matthew Renda

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration touted the environmental benefits of the agency’s fisheries management Friday, saying the number of fisheries at sustainable levels is near a record high. The agency said its 2018 Status of the U.S. Fisheries Annual Report to Congress is proof the United States is the unrivaled leader in stewardship of fish populations within its rivers, streams an off its shores. In addition to the near record on sustainability, the agency said it has rebuilt the population of the smooth skate – a small fish resembling stingrays – in the Gulf of Maine. NOAA also touted the positive contributions commercial and recreational fishing make to the national economy.

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OPINION: Why California Needs Energy Storage

/in , , /by /Valley News (Fallbrook, Calif.)by John Sparks

Former Gov. Jerry Brown signed Senate Bill 100 into law Sept. 10, 2018. The ambitious bill commits the state to 100% carbon free electrical energy by 2045. There are key milestones along the way: 50% renewables by 2026 and 60% renewables by 2030. California has been ramping up its renewable portfolio standard since it was established in 2002 with the goal of 20% renewable energy by 2017. Four years later, the target was adjusted to 20% by 2010 and, in 2008, the governor moved the target to 33% by 2020. In 2015, the legislature passed SB 350, setting a new target of 50% by 2030. These incremental changes have made California a world leader in renewable portfolio standard targets.

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SJ Sues State Water Agency Over Drilling For Tunnel Project

/in , , /by /The Record (Stockton, Calif.)

San Joaquin County has filed a lawsuit in Superior Court asking the state Department of Water Resources to abide by local drilling permit requirements to protect wildlife and water quality in accordance with California law. According to the county, DWR began geotechnical well drilling in San Joaquin and Sacramento counties in June to collect data the agency says it needs for a proposed Delta tunnel project. The controversial tunnel project would carry water diverted from the Sacramento River to the existing state and federal water pumps in the south Delta for export to points south.

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Appetite For California Almonds Still Growing, But Farmers Feel Squeeze From New Water Rules

/in , , /by /Sacramento Beeby Candice Wang

The California almond has proved resilient under fire. During the late years of California’s most recent drought, from 2015 through 2016, the almond came under attack from a variety of sources, including news outlets such as Mother Jones, Forbes and the New Republic, labeling it a horticultural vampire. It was, they said, sucking California’s groundwater reserves dry, leaving behind brittle, drought-stricken trees and causing the dusty land in San Joaquin County to cave in. But the nut and the crop have not just survived, but thrived.

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