Northern California

A water district that provides irrigation to San Joaquin Valley farmers heard mostly negative comments in Redding on Wednesday about its role in the ongoing proposal to raise the height of Shasta Dam. The Fresno County-based Westlands Water District, which has stepped forward to help pay the cost to raise the dam, held a meeting at the Holiday Inn to take comments that will be used to develop an environmental impact report on the project.

Fairfax resident Larry Stratton was one attendee who spoke at the Marin Municipal Water District’s public forum on e-bikes at the Corte Madera Community Center on Tuesday. The district is considering revising its e-bike prohibition on the Mount Tamalpais watershed and held the forum to garner the public’s views.

More than three months after the Carr Fire was contained, the burned out hillsides the deadly blaze left behind continue to pose a threat to water quality in western Shasta County. The barren fire-scarred hillsides could cause drinking water quality problems for communities that rely on water from Whiskeytown Lake, according to a report written for the Shasta County Public Works Department.

Supervisors will consider the possibility of issuing a request for proposals from developers for the sale of the Chanate Road land, comprised of 12 separate parcels, in its entirety or smaller pieces. Certain parcels would be excluded from a potential sale, including a 26-acre plot owned by the Sonoma County Water Agency and a nearly 10-acre parcel that will be dedicated for public access and use, according to a staff report.

As early as March, visitors will be invited to explore Sonoma County’s newest regional park: a wooded 1,192-acre oasis north of Santa Rosa along more than 2.5 miles of upper Mark West Creek.

Interested in birdwatching, but not sure where to start? The California Department of Fish and Wildlife has you covered with naturalist-led free tours that travel around the Marysville area to the best spots for seeing several bird species.

The Department of Water Resources (DWR) will begin construction Monday to improve pedestrian access to Lake Oroville Marina at Lime Saddle.    The Low Water Access Trail project will enhance public safety and provide reliable pedestrian access to the marina during low lake level conditions. Construction activities are scheduled to occur from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, at the Lime Saddle State Recreation Area.

A toxic waste removal crew Thursday sifted through the ash and rubble of a burned-out garage near the southeast edge of Paradise, shoveling asbestos-containing debris into plastic bags. … Officials say they hope to finish the operation within 9-12 months, an aggressive target that will comprise hundreds of workers and coordination between the state Department of Toxic Substances Control, United States Environmental Protection Agency and Butte County Environmental Health.

Related Article:

• Bloomberg Environment: Hauling away California fire rubble to take a year, cost billions

A trio of tiny salamanders could stand in the way of a massive $1.4 billion project to raise the height of Shasta Dam. An environmental organization has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, asking a judge to force the federal agency to make a determination on whether three salamander species living around Lake Shasta should be protected under the Endangered Species Act.