On Water

Delta canal measure put on hold
Sacramento Bee / by E.J. Schultz

White House blocked EPA studies, GAO reports
San Francisco Chronicle / by Zachary Coile

Water supply safe despite flume break
Reno Gazette-Journal / by Steve Timko

New boat ramp planned at Lake Oroville to offset declining water level
Sacramento Bee / by Matt Weiser

Students school biologists on greening up their campus
Sacramento Bee / by M.S. Enkoji

Questions Surround NID's Cement Hill Treated Water Project
YubaNet / by Susan Snider

Garcia bill on district pulled
Imperial Valley Press / by Brianna Lusk

Easy steps to beat water 'crisis'
Napa Valley Register / by Tony Bogar

On May 28-29, the Water Education Foundation and the California Department of Water Resources will host a Border Water Infrastructure Conference in San Diego, CA.

Two nations, one border, two international rivers – the Colorado and the Rio Grande – offer the prospect of cooperative bi-national approaches to solving water infrastructure needs. Increasing population growth, drought and climate change will place greater stress on bi-national water resources. In the Colorado River system, new bi-national discussions are expected to identify cooperative opportunities for infrastructure projects to help mitigate future shortages. Meanwhile, the Rio Grande system is facing a backlog of rehabilitation work on existing international infrastructure together with desires for new project to help manage water more efficiently.

Opportunities for cooperatively building and financing such improvements and other potential projects in the 10 states that share the border will be the focus of this bilingual conference, which will feature simultaneous Spanish-English translation.

For more information, including a conference agenda and registration forms, visit the Water Education Foundation web site. 

The Free Pubs lists has been updated once again; check it out: http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/WRCA/freepubs.html

Please e-mail wrcaill@library.berkeley.edu with your reuqests.  Be sure to include your name, mailing address and full details of the items requested.

Bill to expand smelt hatchery draws fire: Scientists skeptical of measure to restore species
Stockton Record / by Hank Shaw

Learning from our arid past: More droughts, less water -- our future depends on adapting to scarcity.
Los Angeles Times / by Brian Fagan

Judge rejects delay to All-American Canal work
Imperial Valley Press / by Brianna Lusk

Workshop packed over water supply for Shingle Springs casino: Legal opinion supports EID providing water, but not everyone agrees
Sacramento Bee / by Cathy Locke

Hearing to decide Valley water cuts: Judge orders report on three imperiled species of fish.
Fresno Bee / by Mark Grossi

Mine leaders want it their way; ignore possible impacts
Grass Valley Union / by Greg Martin

Flood of money: Levee District 1 has financing to straighten bend
Marysville Appeal-Democrat / by John Dickey

Crews begin chopping down liquidambar trees in San Rafael
Marin Independent Journal / by Jennifer Upshaw

Missing Documents Obtained In LAUSD Water Investigation
KNBC TV Los Angeles / by Joel Grover and Matt Goldberg

City pushes for solar water heaters: First-of-its-kind program will give qualifying residents $1,500 rebates
Palo Alto Daily News / by Kristina Peterson

Cities work to solve levee problem
San Mateo Daily Journal / by Dana Yates

River erosion exposes bottles, eats away vineyard
North Bay Business Journal / by Jeff Quackenbush

City rejects PGA Tour’s bid for fungicide use at Harding
San Francisco Examiner / by David Smith

Schwarzenegger opposes Proposition 98
Los Angeles Times / by Patrick McGreevy

Mayor urges united support of delta-repair bond measure
San Jose Mercury News / by Stephen Baxter

Saddled With Legacy of Dioxin, Town Considers an Odd Ally: The Mushroom
New York Times / by Annie Correal

Push for a new golden age: Company wants to reopen mine, but residents worry about toxic backlash
San Diego Union Tribune / by Bill Ainsworth

Fresno Judge Sets Date for Hearing on Salmon and Delta Pumping
ABC 30, Frenso / by Dale Yurong

Waterway watchdogs: Vallejo group committed to preserving local watersheds
Vallejo Times-Herald / by Andrea Wolf

Southland water crisis threat is real, officials say
Pasadena Star-News / by Jennifer McLain

Rialto officials want faster action on water: State hearing held at City Hall
San Bernarcino Sun / by Jason Pesick

Students see riches of wetlands
San Jose Mercury News / by Rowena Coetsee

A fisherman’s view of the salmon crisis
Sacramento Bee / by Dave Bitts

Climate change adds twist to river restoration
Fresno Bee / by Mark Grossi

On Wednesday, May 7th, the Berkeley Water Center will host an afternoon colloquium on evolving markets for biofuels and their effects on California agriculture. Leading UC Berkeley faculty will discuss recent developments in the biofuel industry, directions for government regulation, future impacts of biofuel production on world commodity markets, and the impact of biofuels on California’s natural resources, including water. The event will take place at the Kearney Agricultural Center in Parlier, CA. It is open to the public, but space is limited, so please RSVP to legas@berkeley.edu by May 1st to secure your spot. You can see a complete list of speakers on the Berkeley Water Center web site.

No clear solution to border pollution: Agency picks neither of 2 sewage projects
San Diego Union Tribune / by Mike Lee
See the report (PDF)

Seepage near levee worries Hamilton neighbors
Marin Independent Journal / by Joe Wolfcale

$3.5 million project finished: Fish screen provides elaborate way for fish to return to Mokelumne
Lodi News-Sentinel / by Ross Farrow

Zaca Fire Impacts Drinking Water Treatment: City Confident Water Will Meet Strict Health Standards
Santa Barbara Independent / by Ray Ford

Cost to funnel water around Calif. delta has soared
Associated Press / by Samantha Young

A California water story of individual tenacity
Sacramento Bee / by Lloyd G. Carter, Director of the California Water Impact Network

Calaveras County Water District ponders foreclosure aid for customers
Sonora Union Democrat / by Hoyt Elkins

Salmon tags to reveal if hatcheries help or hurt: State-bred fish tracked to see if they're pushing wild ones out of picture
Sacramento Bee / by Matt Weiser

Salt removal could help U.S. water supply
Reuters / by Maggie Fox
Check out Heather Cooley's recent Colloquium lecture about desalination in California.

Water projects could be thwarted by ballot measure, state memo says
San Diego Union Tribune / by Michael Gardner

Can quaggas be quarantined? Importance of keeping alien mussels away from Eastern Sierra trout opener is emphasized.
Los Angeles Times / by Pete Thomas

Coastal controversy: Outcry over state marine sanctuary plan that would declare prime spots along Sonoma, Mendocino coasts off-limits to fishing, diving
Santa Rosa Press Democrat / by Derek J. Moore

Lake Elsinore confident of effort to kill off carp
Riverside Press Enterprise / by Aaron Burgin

Conservationists struggle to save rare Calif. wetland
Associated Press / by Alicia Chang

The Irrigation Association's Irrigation Show 2008, which will take place November 2-4 in Anaheim, CA, is now accepting presentation abstracts.  Paper presentations may be submitted in any category including the following:

Agriculture

    * Advances in Sprinkler and Center Pivot Technologies
    * Climate-based Irrigation Scheduling
    * General
    * Irrigation Conservation
    * Microirrigation
    * New Innovations
    * Salinity Management
    * Site-Specific Irrigation and Precision Agriculture
    * Wastewater and Re-Use Water
    * Water Transfers from Agriculture to Urban

Turf/Landscape

    * Advances in Sports Turf Irrigation
    * Climate Weather and Soil Moisture Based Irrigation Scheduling
    * General
    * Irrigation Auditing
    * Microirrigation and Xeriscape
    * New Innovations
    * Salinity Management
    * Wastewater and Re-Use Water
    * Water Transfers from Agriculture to Urban

Abstracts are due by April 30th.  For more information about submission, please visit the conference web site.

The 5th Annual Riverside County Water Symposium will take place on Thursday, May 1st at the Morongo Casino Resort and Spa in Cabazon, CA.  The Symposium has become the region’s premier water forum bringing together key political, business, community and water-agency leaders to explore solutions to the growing demands of our water supplies and infrastructure.  For more information, including a list of speakers and registration forms, visit the Symposium web site.

East Bay water managers plan for drought
San Francisco Chronicle / by Kelly Zito

Dry months may lead to rationing: Gains from wet winter evaporate in spring
Inside Bay Area / by Angela Hill and Mike Taugher

DWR and Reclamation Announce BDCP Scoping Meetings

A Desalination Plant for San Clemente?
San Clemente Times / by Norb Garrett

Lake Davis is back
San Francisco Chronicle / by Tom Stienstra

North Coast marine reserve plan goes to state
San Francisco Chronicle / by Peter Fimrite

Judge has clear choice in Headwaters settlement
Sacramento Bee / by Mike Chrisman

Urban wetlands park to be developed in South L.A.
Los Angeles Times / by Jill Leovy

Conservation tops federation agenda: State's water shortage discussed
Agoura Hills Acorn / by Stephanie Bertholdo

Water district taps scientific mind of Jimmie Cho: Stanford, Brown grad to lead department
Agoura Hills Acorn / by Stephanie Bertholdo

College Students Find Greener Solutions to Protect the Planet - EPA P3 Award Winners (including students from UC Berkeley and UC Davis)

EBMUD may start rationing water if no rain
San Francisco Chronicle / by Meredith May

Pipeline project will reduce pumping to preserve drinking water
Desert Sun / by Denise Goolsby

Studies stir confusion on safety of plastics: Conflicting reports target key chemical ingredient
San Diego Union-Tribune / by Scott LaFee

No clear RX for disposing of drugs: Local groups start take-back programs for unwanted medicines
San Francisco Chronicle / by Victoria Colliver

Bevy of state bills seek out greener California
Santa Cruz Sentinel / by Kurtis Alexander

High levels of lead are discovered in Valley school drinking fountain
Los Angeles Daiyl News / by Susan Abram

Some scary water stats from an expert
CNET / by Michael Kanellos

Contaminated site OKd for L.A. elementary school
Los Angeles Times / by Evelyn Larrubia

Imperial Irrigation District gives $25K to sea
Imperial Valley Press / by Brianna Lusk

Water rate increases expected to continue: Piru latest in county to see user fees go up
Ventura County Star / by Tony Biasotti

Lawmaker proposes hatchery expansion to save Delta smelt from extinction
Contra Costa Times / by Mike Taugher

Farmers fallow their land to cope with water cutbacks
Associated Press

Pipeline project will reduce pumping to preserve drinking water
Desert Sun / by Denise Goolsby

Officials only scratch surface of abandoned mines in county
San Diego Union-Tribune / by Dana Wilkie

I-5 Big Fix To Replace Water Pumps
CBS 13 Sacramento / by Chris Burrous

Shingle Spring casino debate: water lines or water trucks: Under-construction Indian casino seeks answer
Sacramento Bee / by Cathy Locke

Ocean reserves will rebuild fish populations
Sacramento Bee Editorial

Garlic spill suit settled for $60,000
San Francisco Chronicle / by Meredith May

DWP flexing its muscle to stop invader's spread
Inyo Register / by Ken Koerner

Health versus cost: Water disinfection debated
Antelope Valley Press / by Alisha Semchuck

City pushes creek-cleaning pledge
Auburn Journal / by Jenna Nielsen

Residents to oppose water fee increases
Desert Sun

CVWD trio certified by EPA's water management program
Desert Sun / by Denise Goolsby

Earth Day - even for fish at sea
San Francisco Chronicle Editorial

Check out our recently published Free Publications List: http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/WRCA/freepubs.html

Please e-mail wrcaill@library.berkeley.edu requesting the publications you are interested in.  Please provide your name, mailing address and full details of the items requested.

Also available is the latest Selected Recent Accessions, highlighting the newest additions to WRCA's collection: http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/WRCA/pdfs/234.pdf

These items are not available for distribution, but they can be borrowed from WRCA following normal circulation and interlibrary loan procedures.

Initiative divides farmers: Groups split over effects that eminent domain would have.
Fresno Bee / by E.J. Schultz

Opposition mounting to Tuolumne plan: Bay Area community passes resolution favoring conservation over siphoning of Sierra river
Inside Bay Area / by Suzanne Bohan

Trash traps given a tryout Ventura tests devices to curb urban runoff
Ventura County Star / by Kevin Clerici

Western Municipal Water District, others to mark Earth Night
Riverside Press Enterprise

Mendocino coast rocked by closure of salmon fishing
Sacramento Bee / by M.S. Enkoji

Santa Paula still scrapping over sewer plant
Ventura County Star / by Kathleen Wilson

New type of ocean current discovered
Honolulu Star Bulletin / by Robert Shikina

Delta panel tries to prepare for sea-level rise
Sacramento Bee / by Matt Weiser

A water fight in court: Smaller cities take on the big players to get a better break on drought rates
Long Beach Press Telegram Editorial

Warming could push Colorado to historic low
Deseret News / by Jim Efstathiou Jr. and Stephen Speckman

King salmon off menu: Harvests banned along coasts of Calif., Oregon
San Diego Union Tribune / by Michael Gardner

Water pollution: Dawn of the 'Dead Zones'
CNN / by Matt Ford

Let drilling begin, groups urge: Environmental advocates back company's bid
Associated Press / by Noaki Schwartz

Trying to take bite out of summer's West Nile risk
Contra Costa Times / by Hilary Costa

Coastal Commission's enforcer walks a beautiful beat
Los Angeles Times / by Tony Barboza

Sunset Reservoir seismic upgrade nearly done
San Francisco Chronicle / by John Koopman

San Diego River at 'turning point': SDSU, agency, coalition join to protect, restore it
San Diego Union Tribune / by Mike Lee

Sending toxins down the drain: Commercial carwashes the greener way to clean
Stockton Record / by Alex Breitler

Southeast L.A. County water agency sues over MWD drought plan: The Central Basin district says the new system will slight its mostly lower-income Latino clients and favor the affluent
Los Angeles Times / by Deborah Schoch

City opposes water district rate hike: CVWD sues Indio for back replenishment fees
Indio Sun / by Xochitl Peña

Water In Portola Has High Arsenic Level: Violation Not Considered An Emergency
KCRA Sacramento

Sewage ponds near Sebastopol may grow: Santa Rosa needs to store effluent until optimum discharge time into Laguna
Santa Rosa Press Democrat / by Mike McCoy

Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District approves ordinance to protect Lake
Friday Flyer / by Sharon Rice

Climate change may alter bay growth patterns
San Francisco Chronicle / by John King

New wastewater permit has McKinleyville Community Services District concerned
Eureka Reporter / by Nathan Rushton

Beach water test results may come in hours, not days
North County Times

State issues warning on mercury levels in fish caught locally
Sacramento Bee / by Chris Bowman

Finally some good news for fisheries
Auburn Journal / by J.D. Richey

Federal official says users responsible for levee fixes
Las Vegas Review Journal / by Sara Spivey

On Thursday, April 24th, the UC Irvine Urban Water Research Center will host as part of its spring seminar series a Women in Water seminar featuring Dorothy Green, author of Managing Water: Avoiding Crisis in California and co-founder of Heal the Bay.  The seminar will also include a panel of women working in water-related fields.  See the complete list of participants and other crucial information at the seminar web site.

Study backing more water exports to Southern California is nullified: A judge says the report failed to account for effects on endangered salmon and steelhead trout.
Los Angeles Times / by Eric Bailey

Early dry weather ignites concern: Fire officials say vigilance needed to avoid blazes
Whittier Daily News / by Jerry Berrios

Rescue at sea
San Francisco Chronicle Editorial

1000 Wells Project raises funds for clean water sources: Community asked to participate and donate to the cause
California Aggie / by Chintan Desai

Gov wants to rename Resources Agency
Capitol Weekly / by Malcolm Maclachlan

Regional solution for wastewater? Integration of Sutter County, town, city facilities discussed
Marysville Appeal-Democrat / by Robert LaHue

Serving the environment: AmeriCorps members arrive in foothills
Grass Valley Union / by Laura Brown

San Diego County reopens border beaches closed since Nov.
Associated Press

The Sandance Channel has produced a documentary series focused on environmental issues. The episode that aired last night centered on water. The summary: Water is likely to be a flash point in the 21st Century, as population growth collides with droughts and dwindling reserves. This episode introduces three people who are embracing creative solutions to the looming shortage of drinking water. We meet entrepreneur Amanda Brock, who is pioneering a cleaner, more streamlined and affordable approach to ocean desalination through her new company Water Standard. In Washington State, former truck driver Tim Pope demonstrates a few of the nearly 200 rainwater harvesting systems he has installed in the San Juan Islands. And we board a solar-paneled barge to clean up the Ohio River with a volunteer group led by Chad Pregacke, founder of a nonprofit organization that travels the country collecting and recycling river trash while monitoring pollution levels.

Watch the episode online on the Sundance Channel web site.

California bans salmon fishing in coastal waters
Sacramento Bee / by Matt Weiser

Water conservation bill gets Assembly approval
Woodland Daily Democrat

Moment of truth for Martinez beavers
San Francisco Chronicle / by Carolyn Jones

Half Moon Bay settlement faces opposition
San Francisco Chronicle / by John Coté

Senators rip EPA over lack of knowledge on drugs in water
Associated Press / by Martha Mendoza

Brawley faces wastewater issues
Imperial Valley Press / by Silvio J. Panta

Entrenched water board needs term limits
San Jose Mercury News Editorial

Arvin parents want filters installed on school drinking fountains
Eyewitness News (Bakersfield)

$2.9 million water treatment facility coming to the Canyons
Orange County Register / by John Crandall

Supervisors oppose federal water amendments
Lodi News-Sentinel / by Ross Farrow

Levee 'emergency' is off: Declaration could delay Natomas fix, agency says
Sacramento Bee / by Matt Weiser

Aiming to save water
Inland Valley Daily Bulletin / by Jennifer McLain

Snowpack shrinks in spring clime: Falling flakes have been above average, but below expectations
Redding Record Searchlight / by Dylan Darling

County General Plan may get water element
Chico Enterprise Record / by Heather Hacking

Water issues arise at meeting on Tehachapi prison expansion
Bakersfield Californian

Swimming with no fish at all
Lompoc Record Editorial

Whale of a mural brings attention to Bay pollution: Life-size wall painting of two humpbacks adorns side of treatment facility
Inside Bay Area / by Martin Ricard

Officials hit with flood of worries
Stockton Record / by Alex Breitler

California earthquake probability study rejiggers Inland causes for concern
Riverside Press Enterprise / by Jennifer Bowles

El Dorado County water agency plans to convert $100 million in debt: Move designed to avoid high interest rates on adjustable-rate bonds
Sacramento Bee / by Cathy Locke

New IID general manager assumes post
Imperial Valley Press / by Brianna Lusk

Seismic Work Ending at Reservoir
Sunset Beacon / by Jonathan Farrell

Conserving California's water: Do we need to focus more on reining in consumption, and are consumers too shielded from the real cost of delivering water?
Los Angeles Times / by Lester Snow and Mindy McIntyre

Water supply threats worsen
North County Times / by Bradley J. Fikes

Water worries put cap on bottling
Associated Press / by Samantha Young

We can solve the water ‘crisis’ in three easy steps
Eureka Reporter Editorial / by Tony Bogar of Friends of the River

Water story makes big splash: Doomsday predictions for Lake Mead, Las Vegas get world's attention
Las Vegas Review-Journal / by Henry Brean

Bill to keep mussels out of lakes
Contra Costa Times / by Denis Cuff

End of coast's 150-year-old fishery looms
San Francisco Chronicle / by Carl Nolte

State panel to vote on drastic California salmon fishing cutback
Sacramento Bee / by Matt Weiser

Decades later, Taft's 'navigable waterway' disappears
Bakersfield Californian / by Stacey Shepard

Inland spill team not flush with cash: 'We have to triage,' state official says
San Diego Union-Tribune / by Michael Gardner

$3 million taint doesn’t reach new gravel pit
Redding Record Searchlight Editorial

Feds not addressing drugs in water
Associated Press / by Martha Mendoza

Grants could be cash cow for dairies: $800,000 to improve water quality
Stockton Record / by Reed Fujii

SoCal water power goes against Prop. 98
Fresno Bee

Garcia, Imperial Irrigation District talk; board expected to vote Tuesday
Imperial Valley press / by Brianna Lusk

Reid's bill designed to make aging Western canals safer
Associated Press

Staving off disaster: We must fix the Delta before it's too late
Stockton Record Editorial

Binational river conference comes to end
Yuma Sun / by Sarah Reynolds

The video of Heather Cooley's lecture in the California Colloquium on Water, "Desalination, With a Grain of Salt: A California Perspective," is now available to view.  As always, you can find the accompanying PowerPoint slides on the Colloquium web page.

U.S. halts commercial salmon season: Regulators are trying to protect slumping chinook population off California and Oregon.
Los Angeles Times / by Eric Bailey

EPA orders sewer upgrades in Marin
San Francisco Chronicle / by Kelly Zito

Pharmaceuticals flowing into Bay, hazards unknown: Dilution of chemicals may spare marine life from harm, experts suggest
Inside Bay Area / by Julia Scott

5 Questions for Geologist Jeff Mount on California’s Crumbling Delta Levees
Popular Mechanics
Check out Jeff Mount's California Colloquium on Water lecture on the Delta

All that water, every drop to drink: Is there any hope for desalination as a way to get water to a thirsty California?
Los Angeles Times / by Mindy McIntyre and Lester Snow

Water basins along Sprinter at center of flood dispute
San Diego Union Tribune / by Michael Burge

Water shortage could stifle growth
San Francisco Examiner / by Mike Aldax

San Joaquin officials wrap up Washington lobbying trip
Stockton Record / by Hank Shaw

Corps rethinks protection exemptions for Los Angeles River: EPA to help re-evaluate waterways not under Clean Water Act
Associated Press / by Noaki Schwartz

Decision to exempt parts of LA River from protections raises ire
Associated Press / by Noaki Schwartz

Algae Toxins Found in Yellow Perch on Klamath River Reservoirs
San Francisco Bay Area Independent Media Center / by Dan Bacher

Growers search for ways to get more water: Water officials say new meters won't up supply
North County Times / by Darryn Bennett

Official: Rainfall's just drop in bucket
Antelope Valley Press / by Alisha Semchuck

Report: Water conservation critical: Peninsula demand to exceed Hetch Hetchy supply by 2010
San Jose Mercury News / by Julia Scott

Desalination Plant Could Help Soothe Santa Cruz Water Woes
City on a Hill Press / by April Short & Michele Lanctot

Battling Upstream: The tribes on the Klamath know that as the river goes, so go the salmon
San Francisco Chronicle / by Glen Martin

To help local water agencies and communities prepare for the possibility of a dry year or water supply interruptions, the Department of Water Resources (DWR) has published an updated version of its Urban Drought Guidebook.

DWR staff, in cooperation with the California Urban Water Conservation Council and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, held drought workshops throughout the State last year to solicit input for the guidebook update.

Now available, the guidebook provides a step-by-step approach for preparing Water Shortage Contingency Plans.

The Governor’s recently announced target of a 20 percent reduction in per-capita water use statewide by 2020 presents a challenge for both water suppliers and California residents. Water suppliers may find many of the guidebook’s demand management measures timely and useful.

A copy of the Guidebook has been posted on the DWR Web site (PDF)

Dampening growth: Can California continue to grow given its endangered water resources? Should we be trying harder to limit or control growth, and if so, how?
Los Angeles Times / by Lester Snow and Mindy McIntyre

Desal plant gets go-ahead from Water Quality board: Carlsbad project still needs thumbs-up from other agencies to start construction
North County Times / by Bradley J. Fikes

Shielding the High Desert from the state water crisis
Victorville Daily Press / by Brooke Edwards

Salmon fishers brace for a tanking season
Contra Costa Times / by Mike Taugher

Casitas to allow boats, but with stringent rules: Quarantine's purpose is stop invasive mussels
Ventura County Star / by Zeke Barlow

Wheatland moves to bolster levees
Marysville Appeal-Democrat / by Nancy Pasternack

FEMA brings flood zone report to McCloud
Mt. Shasta Herald / by Earl Bolender

Water agency revamps seven division maps
Antelope Valley Press / by Alisha Semchuck

Coachella Valley Water District honored for its Coachella Canal Lining Project
Desert Sun / by Denise Goolsby

Underwater inspection reveals 2 cracks in dam
Big bear Grizzly / by Kathy Portie

Desert Hot Springs water among tastiest: International tasting event earns Mission Springs its sixth award
Desert Sun / by Dennis A. Britton

Water test reveals weakness in system
Highland Community News / by Paula Kasprzyk

Cities want state's help with water
Daily Breeze / by Kristin S. Agostoni

Elsinore Valley water district reaches new deal on proposed hydroelectric facility
Riverside Press Enterprise / by Aaron Burgin

Dredging around the Delta
Los Angeles Times /  by Lester Snow, director of the California Department of Water Resources and Mindy McIntyre, water program manager of the Planning and Conservation League

Turlock Irrigation District sets 3.5-foot water cap on farms: Board cites a pair of dry years, uncertain forecasts for 2009
Modesto Bee / by John Holland

Check irrigation pumps early to avoid problems later
Ag Alert / by Christine Souza

Storage system is tested
Inland Valley Daily Bulletin / by Andrew Edwards

Metropolitan Water District board votes to help finance reservoir
Riverside Press Enterprise  =/ by Jennifer Bowles

Machado out to unite Delta
Stockton Record / by Hank Shaw

Counting on water cleanup: Colton council approves transfer of $4 million to wastewater fund
Inland Valley Daily Bulletin / by Jason Pesick

U.S. to pay $250,000 over groundwater pollution
Sacramento Bee / by Denny Walsh

If the Isabella dam collapsed: Maps plot wet, worst-case scenario
Bakersfield Californian / by James Burger

U.S. agency opposes Oxnard water project: Bureau prefers that feasibility study be done
Ventura County Star / by Michael Collins

Aggressive flood control: Yuba, state pursue Feather River 'setback levee'
Sacramento Bee Editorial

Carlsbad: Desal plant on water quality agenda, but Coastal Commission asks for delay
North County Times / by Bradley J. Fikes

Moves to conserve water are lauded
Long Beach Press Telegram / by Paul Eakins

California's big gulp
Los Angeles Times / by Lester Snow, director of the California Department of Water Resources and Mindy McIntyre, water program manager of the Planning and Conservation League

Reservoir deal seen for water authority: Facility would be in Imperial Valley
San Diego Union Tribune / by Michael Gardner

New legal challenge mounted against Glenn County wells
Chico Enterprise Record / by Heather Hacking

Casitas plan would allow some boats in
Ventura County Star

Teen invents 'goo' to thwart quagga mussels
Ventura County Star / by Zeke Barlow

Klamath pact is key to recovering salmon
Eureka Times-Standard / by Walter Duffy

Water plant funds dry up: Lanare can't afford to keep filtering system running.
Fresno Bee / by Eddie Jimenez

Toxic mill site draws fine: State seeks $3 million from owners of former paper mill
Redding Record Searchlight / by Dylan Darling

Santa Paula weighs two bids on sewage plant
Ventura County Star / by Kathleen Wilson

No need to fear the water: Linda methane concentration too low for fire
Marysville Appeal-Democrat / by Howard Yune

Legislation seeks to avert another oil spill
San Francisco Chronicle / by Matthew Yi

Imperial Irrigation District customers might get say on its board
Desert Sun / by Keith Matheny

Retrofit underway for Hetch Hetchy Reservoir
KGO-TV ABC 7 / by Ken Miguel

Don't miss the California Colloquium on Water tonight as it hosts Heather Cooley, Senior Research Associate at the Pacific Institute, speaking on Desalination, With a Grain of Salt: A California Perspective.  Check out the Colloquium web page for full details.

The Groundwater Resources Association of California (GRA) is hosting a Symposium focusing on the implications of Climate Change for groundwater supplies on August 12 & 13 in Sacramento. Regardless of the uncertainties in various Climate Change scenarios, the State of California is taking aggressive steps based both in legislation and agency policies. Immediate actions range from initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to consideration of Climate Change under CEQA in Environmental Impact Reports and these initiatives will also trickle down to water resources and groundwater supply estimates and management.

GRA is assembling a distinguished group of invited and abstract-solicited speakers on Climate Change and groundwater to present a 1½-day Symposium. The goal of the Symposium is to address what is known, what is predicted, what to expect in terms of state guidance, and what water resources technical and management professionals can do to study their own systems, update their own predictions, and manage and plan for Climate Change impacts on water resources.

Abstracts are invited for oral or poster presentations relevant to the session topics highlighted above. By virtue of submitting an abstract, the submitter(s) grants GRA the right to publish any accepted abstract or the right to decline any abstract. You can submit your abstract by e-mail to Mary Megarry (mmegarry@nossaman.com; 916-446-3626) no later than June 1, 2008. A team of volunteers made up of GRA members will review abstracts and make the final selections.

Visit the conference web site for updated information.

Time lapse videos of sandbars from the Glen Canyon Dam high flow experiment have been released by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). These videos show the impact of the high flow experiment at two locations over the course of the last 30 days.

West Coast salmon fishing ban considered
Monterey Herald / by Terence Chea

Sonoma eyes wastewater as an energy source
San Francisco Chronicle / by Kelly Zito

Water sales may become less attractive
Chico Enterprise Record / by Heather Hacking

Snow news is good news for most Western states: Except for California, states report
Capital Press / by Mateusz Perkowski

County again may face cut in water: Little rain, low level of Lake Mendocino spur talk of conservation this summer
Santa Rosa Press Democrat / by Bob Norberg

Summer water shortage feared
Ukiah Daily Journal

No water, no development: The days of supplies for almost every project must end. California must build smart.
Los Angeles Times Editorial

Valley's water issues require thorough planning now
Desert Sun / by Jim Smith, public works director and engineer for the city of Indio and the Indio Water Authority

Can rice help fix the Delta? Scientists think growing grain can reverse soil degradation
Stockton Record / by Hank Shaw

Watershed groups face more cost: Plan to add groundwater to irrigation program meets resistance
Capital Press / by Bob Krauter

Guest View: Upper Truckee River needs attention from community
Tahoe Daily Tribune / by Sarah Curtis, coordinator for the Upper Truckee River Watershed Stewardship Group

Water quality checks hit, miss: Inconsistent enforcement cited in report
Stockton Record / by Alex Breitler

Bay cleanup files released; public comment phase begins
San Diego Union Tribune / by Mike Lee

San Joaquin bypass settlement unites former foes
Sacramento Bee / by Matt Weiser

Bond proposal shifts focus to water
Modesto Bee

Dams needed as part of state's water strategy
Modesto Bee

Flooding D.C. with requests for help: Local lawmakers trek to capitol in search of flood funds
Napa Valley Register / by Kevin Courtney

Old canals concern federal water bosses
Associated Press / by Scott Sonner

Aquifer is drying up in Borrego Springs: For the first time, desert town sees its water won't last forever
San Diego Union Tribune / by Mike Lee

Lack of rain may force conservation measures
Santa Rosa Press Democrat / by Bob Norberg

Desert Water Agency says conservation key to water users: It's customers' biggest concern, survey finds
Palm Springs Sun / by Willian Avila

Statewide attention brought to Lakeport for quagga-dogs presentation
Lake County Record Bee / by Rick Kennedy

Dam pushing trout to brink
Monterey Herald / by John G. Williams

EPA sets timeline to clean oil spill
Associated Press

PG&E settles final lawsuits over chromium 6 poisoning
Associated Press

Garcia bill could split Imperial Irrigation District
Imperial Valley Press / by Brianna Lusk

Yuba City hosts water plan workshop
Marysville Appeal Democrat / by John Dickey

Watermaster district may not be welcome
Red Bluff Daily News / by Rebecca Wolf

Isabella Dam collapse study about to go public
Bakersfield Californian / by James Burger

Water manager resigns his post
Antelope Valley Press / by Alisha Semchuck

4 options discussed for Santa Rosa wastewater disposal
Santa Rosa Press Democrat / by Mike McCoy

There's still no end in sight to California's water wars
Los Angeles Times / by George Skelton

Growers cutting back as water supplies dwindle
North County Times / by Darryn Bennett

Ceremony Marks Milestone In Camrosa's Recycled Water Project at Leisure Village
Ventura County Star / by Frank Royer

Saving water a must
North County Times Editorial

Governor's water plan a boost for conservation
Sacramento Bee Editorial

River's time running out
Monterey Herald Editorial

McCloud divided on reports
Mt. Shasta Herald / by Jeff Knebel

Fishermen take salmon pleas to Washington
Eureka Times-Standard / by John Driscoll

Senate Approves $5.3 Million for Salmon Crisis, Sends Bill to Governor
YubaNet

Threat with plenty of mussel: Tiny species could wreak havoc with California's lakes and waterways
San Francisco Chronicle / by Tom Stienstra

County approves law to limit runoff in creeks: Goal is to lessen pollutants in county waterways, but questions remain on how to enforce the rules
San Luis Obispo Tribune / by Bob Cuddy

SoCal's Pyramid Lake to reopen after sediment removal
Associated Press

Folsom Dam project: Unprecedented partnership
Folsom Telegraph / by Kerry Miller

Aging sewer plants serving Cupertino, Sunnyvale need urgent repair
San Jose Mercury News / by Cody Kraatz

Treated sewage-spreading sparks complaints from neighbors
Desert Dispatch / by Jason Smith

Teachers take techniques from Marin to Mongolia
Marin Independent Journal / by Rob Rogers

Thursday April 10th 9am-5pm, Seaborg Room, Faculty Club, UC Berkeley. Space is limited, please register in advance.

The Mediterranean climate prevailing in California and southern Europe exerts a pervasive influence on patterns of human settlement and resource use by virtue of summer drought, highly seasonal precipitation/runoff, high inter-annual variability in precipitation, episodic floods and sediment transport. Humans have responded to this natural variability by constructing massive water supply and control infrastructure at a scale far exceeding that degree of control seen in more humid climates. Surprisingly, there has been little systematic recognition of the strong parallels among Mediterranean-climate regions and the potential to look to the other regions for precedents for solving common problems, nor this been used as an organizing theme in teaching and research.
In 2000, the European Parliament passed the Water Framework Directive, a broad reform of water management that has triggered changes including requirements for river basin scale management, setting ecological targets for all waters, and requiring transparency in water pricing and subsidies, wherein the economic benefits and environmental impacts of water uses are estimated and made public. The many parallels and differences in water management between California and Europe make for unusual opportunities for comparative learning.

This conference includes presentations on water management in California and Europe by leading scholars, practitioners, and agency officials, and presentations of results of a workshop (held in connection with the course Hydrology for Planners) in which interdisciplinary teams of graduate students from UC Berkeley and the Technical University of Lisbon work on comparative water management, in California and Portugal. The Portuguese students were all participants in previous workshops in the course Mediterranean-Climate Landscapes, which involved Berkeley students traveling to Portugal to conduct research on water management issues common to California and the Mediterranean basin.

See http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/WRCA/waterframework08.html for program and other details as they are updated. Space is limited, advance registration (free) is required to insure you can attend. Please RSVP to tgrantham@nature.berkeley.edu

Now available online: A Fresh Perspective for Managing Water in California: Insights from Applying the European Water Framework Directive to the Russian River (PDF)

"We report results of a thought experiment, in which we imagined the Russian River was located within the EU and attempted to apply the Water Framework Directive (WFD) to the basin. We considered data available to assess ecological status of its water bodies, and to the extent possible with available data, evaluated ecological and water quality conditions. Using publicly available data, we reported on the economics of water in the basin, identifying how much various sectors of the economy were paying for their water and evaluating the extent of full cost recovery. Our findings highlight the fragmented management of water in the Russian River basin, with diverse and often conflicting roles played by two county governments, numerous local jurisdictions, and various state and federal agencies. The coherent, basin-level management that is a goal of the WFD, along with greater transparency in water economics and clear articulation of ecological goals, could address many of the problematic aspects of water management in the Russian River today."

Senate OKs funds to restore salmon habitat
Associated Press

Lodi considering dropping water protest: In return, city would get flows from Mokelumne
Stockton Record / by Alex Breitler

Dry March drains Sierra snowpack
Reno Gazette-Journal / by Jeff Delong

Water restriction plan OKd
Bubank Leader / by Jeremy Oberstein

Answer to failing Delta levees might be rice
Central Valley Business Times

Supes wade into Delta politics
Vacaville Reporter / by Danny Bernardini

Safeguard lake before opening it to boaters
Ventura County Star / by Rich Handley

EPA takes over Greka Energy site cleanup
Los Angeles Times / by Catherine Saillant

Beachfront bacteria zapper being built
North County Times / by Paul Sisson

Time to get trash out of our bay
San Francisco Chronicle / by David Lewis, Executive Director of Save the Bay

Water's Slippery Seduction: Investors Flood Sector Amid Economic Falloff, Limited Opportunities
Wall Street Journal / by Carolyn Cui and Ann Davis

UC Research Report: Water use management and almonds
Ag Alert / by Allan Fulton
For more information on on water management refer to UCManageDrought.ucdavis.edu

Huell Howser Coming to Sacramento for Water Forum

Water release from dam boosts reserve basins
Whittier Daily News / by Jennifer McLain

Water fight erupts in Orosi: Woman challenging a $120,000 assessment serves on district board.
Fresno Bee / by Erik Lacayo

Santa Cruz lifts watering ban
Santa Cruz Sentinel / by Genevieve Bookwalter

Long Beach agency calls for `wet works'
Long Beach Press-Telegram / by Paul Eakins

Special Meeting on Hahamongna Watershed
Pasadena Now

EPA Issues Wetlands Rules
Associated Press / by H. Josef Hebert

Lucerne Valley may face repeat water crisis
Victorville Daily Press / by Katherine Rosenberg

PG&E makes huge solar deal: utility project would put five power plants in Mojave Desert
San Jose Mercury News / by Matt Nauman

Old-fashioned water fight brews in Colorado
Los Angeles Times / by Nicholas Riccardi

Developer seeks rural Nevada water for $30 billion project
Associated Press / by Brendan Riley

Budget, water top Capitol issues
Marysville Appeal-Democrat / by Thomas Elias

Getting lead out is critical water issue
Sacramento Bee / by Wilma Chan and Martha Guzman Aceves