“Marsh Junior High School could be getting rid of a problem the
Humboldt Road campus has suffered with since it opened, and get a
facility it has needed for just as long. … The school
is built on shallow soil over a lava cap. Water flowing over the
surface drains into the soil about as effectively as water
running over a paved parking lot would.
From the California Water Law Journal blog, in a post by Bryan
Barnhart:
“In Environmental Law Foundation, et al. v. State Water Resources
Control Board, et al., Case No. 34-2010-80000583, three plaintiff
organizations (collectively, ELF) claim that California’s Public
Trust Doctrine requires the State Water Resources Control Board
(Board) and Siskiyou County (County) to regulate groundwater that
is hydraulically connected to the navigable Scott River (Scott
Groundwater). Although ELF’s legal theory is sound, ELF chose the
wrong case to test it.
From the California Department of Water Resources (DWR)
Spotlight:
“Rebuilt Weir #2 on the Sutter Bypass has an innovation new to
DWR. Like many weirs, #2 dams the water flow to create a pool for
nearby irrigation, but uniquely, this weir’s gates close when
compressed air inflates large air bladders that force the gates
upward to dam the water.”
“The successful navigation of the sometimes impenetrable
federal bureaucracy is one example cited by Roseville officials
of their stepped-up efforts to influence state and federal
issues and, if needed, assist local businesses entangled in red
tape. …
“Last year, facing stiff new state regulations for handling
stormwater, the city recruited other local governments to
oppose the rules.”
From The Sacramento Bee, in a commentary by Tim Palmer:
“Far up on our North Coast, the Smith River flows as an
incomparable gem of California, breathtakingly beautiful as it
courses crystalline through the heart of redwood country.
“The Woodland Davis Clean Water Agency has approved a contract
with the company CH2MHill to build and operate the plant in
Woodland for $141.2 million.”
“When it comes to upcoming changes to flood insurance rates,
landowners in Yuba and Sutter counties are in the same boat.
“Both areas will be impacted by the Biggert-Waters Flood
Insurance Reform Act of 2012, a controversial piece of
legislation designed to close a $28 billion funding gap in the
National Flood Insurance Policy through drastic insurance rate
increases.”
“We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again — and we wish that
more public figures would say it and say it louder: It makes no
sense to treat agricultural interests located in floodplains the
way you’d treat residential, commercial and/or industrial areas
located in floodplains.”
“After what seemed like a never-ending wrangling in court, Butte
County can have about $2 million more funding available each year
and is more secure in its water rights due to a court settlement
with the Department of Water Resources.
“The remains of a very good chinook salmon spring run can be
viewed, and in many cases smelled, along Butte Creek this week.
“The final numbers won’t be known for a while, and the fish are
still spawning, but Fish and Wildlife biologist Clint Garman
said the threatened species had a good year.”
“Just saying no is no longer an option when it comes to working
with the state on water issues, the general manager of Glenn
Colusa Irrigation District said Wednesday at the meeting of the
Butte County Water Commission.
“Thad Bettner was in Oroville to report on a recently completed
5,000-acre-foot water transfer to farmers south of the
Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.”
“There are only about 400 homes behind the levees protecting
farmland in District 10 along the Highway 70 corridor north of
Marysville. …
“But a former Yuba County supervisor who lives in District 10
said the 28 miles of levee mostly along the Feather River north
of Marysville need attention.”
From the Chico Enterprise-Record, in a column by Editor David
Little:
“The border states in southern Oregon want out from underneath
the folks in Salem for the same reason the border states in
Northern California want out from underneath the folks in
Sacramento: Everybody feels ignored by their government and
hates the state’s mandates.
“So pick your beef with the government, and that becomes the
reason to secede.
“Water agency and city officials can breathe a sigh of relief, as
the one bidder left competing for the contract to build the
surface water project treatment facility submitted a bid last
month that is $10 million under the price cap the agency placed
on the project’s overall costs.
“Confronted with passionate opposition to adding fluoride to
the city’s water, the Davis City Council took the easy way out.
“Justifying their vote Tuesday night against fluoride, council
members said they didn’t want to jeopardize support for a
massive project, essential to the future of Davis, to draw 12
million gallons of water a day from the Sacramento River
starting in 2016.”
From The Sacramento Bee, in a commentary by Tim Holt:
“No doubt most of you who have read reports about the votes by
Siskiyou and Modoc County supervisors to split off from the rest
of California think it’s a pretty silly idea. … But there
are some larger, more important issues lost in the generally
derisive commentary I’ve seen so far.
“Davis’ City Council soundly rejected a proposal to fluoridate
the city’s drinking water in a 4-1 vote late Tuesday after
facing heavy opposition from city residents and fearing that
anger over the additive could derail Davis’ larger plans to
draw water from the Sacramento River.
“Voters in March passed Measure I, authorizing city leaders to
move ahead on the two-city Surface Water Project with Woodland
to augment existing groundwater supplies starting in 2016.
“A dispute between Durham Mutual Water Co. and Butte Creek
Country Club ended in an agreement to go to mediation later
this month.
“Representatives of Durham Mutual showed up with a backhoe
Monday morning to cut off water to the golf course. Ray Lucas
and board president John Stewart arrived about 7 a.m., and the
rented backhoe shortly thereafter.”
