You are now in California and the U.S. Media Coverage category.

The Delta’s Sinking Islands

/in , /by /San Francisco Chronicle by Peter Fimrite

A fight over the management of a diked island in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta is shining a light on a growing conundrum for California water managers, farmers and environmentalists over the best way to restore natural habitat on cropland created more than a century ago by draining marshes.

The courtroom battle over 9,000-acre Staten Island is the latest conflict in the delta over farming, wetlands and the aging levees that, besides preventing flooding, preserve a way of life on the man-made islands.

Full Story

Opinion: Save the San Joaquin? Fresno County Should Reject Cemex Proposal for Deeper Gravel Mine

/in , /by /The Fresno Beeby Marek Warszawski

Remember Jesse Morrow Mountain from a few years ago? This time it’s the San Joaquin River north of Fresno that needs saving from a destructive gravel mine expansion.

Yes, aggregate mining on the San Joaquin has been going on for more than a century. But with production tapering off and newer operations opening on the nearby Kings River, it was generally assumed the poor San Joaquin would finally be given a break and allowed to return to something closer to its natural state.

Full Story

Sites Reservoir to Receive $6 Million

/in , /by /Appeal-Democrat (Marysville, Calif.)by Lynzie Lowe

The proposed Sites Reservoir will receive a $6 million investment from the federal government as part of a bipartisan spending bill that was signed during President Donald Trump’s year-end spending package.

According to a release issued by the Sites Project Authority, the funding, authorized by the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act, was appropriated to the Bureau of Reclamation to advance Sites Reservoir.

Full Story

San Diego’s Winter Dry Spell to Last Until at Least Thursday

/in , /by /The San Diego Union-Tribuneby Gary Robbins

After a wet start to the rainy season, San Diego is in the midst of a dry spell that will last until at least Thursday and possibly a lot longer, says the National Weather Service.

Cool air is flowing into the region from the northwest, keeping temperatures slightly below average. Forecasters say San Diego’s daytime high will be in the 63 to 64 degree range for most of the week.

Full Story

FPUD Awards Contract for Winter Haven Road Pipeline Replacement

/in , , /by /Village News (Fallbrook, Calif.)by Joe Naiman

The Fallbrook Public Utility District pipeline along Winter Haven Road will be replaced.

FPUD’s 4-0 board vote Dec. 9, with Don McDougal absent, approved the contract with Kirtley Construction for the San Bernardino company’s bid of $750,400.

Full Story

Pure Water Monterey Finishes Key Water Tests, Delivery Date Delayed Again

/in , /by /The Monterey Herald by Jim Johnson

Pure Water Monterey has completed critical water tests and is now poised to deliver a report to state regulators as part of an effort to seek the final thumbs-up before beginning to deliver water to the Seaside basin. But the recycled water project has again been delayed.

 

Full Story

Gov. Tim Walz Proposes Borrowing $300M For Water Projects

/in , /by /CBS Minnesotaby John Lauritsen

As a way to promote his “Local Jobs and Projects Plan,” Governor Walz took a tour today, 80 feet below ground. Pushing for more funding for water quality, Walz walked through a storm tunnel in Minneapolis that was damaged by flooding in 2010.

Gov. Tim Walz unveiled the second of a proposed four packages for his Local Jobs and Projects Plan, and this part says Minnesota should borrow $300 million to replace aging infrastructure and upgrade treatment facilities to protect its water supplies.

Full Story

Opinion: Lawmakers Could Stop Arizona’s Next Water War. But Will They?

/in , /by /ascentralby Bruce Babbit

Another water war is getting underway.

This time we are not fighting California. It’s a family feud right here in Arizona. Urban versus rural. Phoenix and Tucson ganging up on the rural communities along the Colorado River in western Arizona.

The opening shots have been fired by out-of-state speculators buying up farms along the river. Once they have these “water farms” in hand, they intend to strip the water from the land and send it 200 miles up the Central Arizona Project canal to developers in Maricopa and Pima counties.

Full Story

Senate Energy Chair Pulls San Diego Hydropower Bill

/in , /by /Politico Californiaby Colby Bermel Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

SACRAMENTO — State Senate energy committee chair Ben Hueso said Thursday he will drop
legislation that would have boosted a hydropower project near his San Diego district.

Hueso told supporters of the project Wednesday night that he, the city of San Diego and the San
Diego County Water Authority, agreed to table CA SB597 (19R), according to an email Hueso’s
office provided to POLITICO.

Full Story

No, You Don’t Have to Limit Yourself to 55 Gallons a Day of Water—Not Yet

/in , , /by /Valley Roadrunner (Pauma Valley, Calif.)by David Ross

Last week, watching an erroneous news story on a Los Angeles TV station, many listeners were shocked to learn that a new state law would limit them to 55 gallons per day indoor water use; and that they could face $1,000 penalties for laundering and showering on the same day.

The news story was wrong, but not THAT wrong.

Full Story