“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.
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.
“Yuba County supervisors have delayed taking a position on
California Water Service’s request to increase water rates in
Marysville by nearly 35 percent in 2014.
“Supervisors on Tuesday night tabled until a future meeting the
consideration of a resolution that ‘expresses their concern’
about the proposed increase currently before the state Public
Utilities Commission.”
“A movement to withdraw from California suffered a setback
Tuesday night when the Redding City Council rejected lending
its support for the creation of a new state.
“The council’s 3-2 vote followed more than an hour of testimony
from 22 North State residents, all who urged the council to
keep the momentum for the ‘State of Jefferson’ going.”
“A study commissioned by California Water Service has determined
that creating a new municipal water system to serve Marysville
‘would be an economically perilous risk.’”
From the California Department of Water Resources (DWR):
“The Central Valley Flood Protection Board refreshed its mission
earlier this year and created its first-ever strategic plan as a
road map to achieve the Board’s goal of reducing the risk of
catastrophic flooding in the Central Valley. On that map is the
Folsom Dam Joint Federal Project, which the board visited on
September 27 for a briefing on a new auxiliary 2,400-foot
spillway, a control structure with submerged gates and a
1,100-foot approach channel. … Led by the U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers, U.S.
“Wind energy is known to be environmentally friendly, except
for one persistent concern: The spinning turbine blades often
kill birds, especially raptors such as eagles.
“Now, a wind energy project in Solano County may become the
first in the United States to commit to protecting golden
eagles under federal law.
“Our view: Butte County proved it’s no better than the state
government at enforcing environmental rules. When Butte
County railed at the state Department of Water Resources for
not enforcing water runoff rules against industrial marijuana
farmers carving up the foothills, the state agency responded in
a way that cast itself in a poor light.
“But recent revelations about the county’s grading ordinance
indicated the ineptitude in dealing with pot factories doesn’t
just emanate from Sacramento.
“Quality assurance was on the minds of local leaders as they
toured the construction site of the Feather River West Levee
Project. …
“All told, the construction crews have completed about 8,000
feet — or a mile and a half — of the 44 miles of planned levee
improvements for the $280 million dollar project. Construction
managers expect a much busier season when work resumes on April
15.”
“The Modoc County Board of Supervisors today voted to join
neighboring Siskiyou County in its bid to secede from the state
of California. …
“The move makes Modoc the second county to join in the fight to
form the state of Jefferson in less than a month. Siskiyou
County passed a measure to start the secession process at the
supervisors’ Sept. 3 meeting.”
“No much is more important to farmers than the future of the
farm bill, and Congressman Doug LaMalfa shared an update with
agricultural students during a classroom visit today [Sept.
23].
“Congress is in the middle of wranglings on the Farm Bill,
which was due for a five-year renewal last year, but continues
to be revised during a one-year extension.”
“People in Chico and Oroville protesting proposed California
Water Service rate hikes might be encouraged that the agency
representing ratepayers before the state Public Utilities
Commission has recommended slashing Cal Water’s proposed
Marysville rate hike by more than half.”
“The agency that represents ratepayers before the state Public
Utilities Commission said California Water Service’s rate hike
in Marysville should be less than half of what the company is
requesting.
“In its report to the commission, the Division of Ratepayer
Advocates is calling for a 14.1 percent increase in 2014
instead of the 34.9 percent requested by Cal Water.”
“With an eye on a possible third consecutive year of low rain
totals, the California Department of Water Resources is reducing
the amount of water released from Lake Oroville into the Feather
River.”
“Illegal pot grows and water issues dominated the discussions
at the Oroville Area Chamber of Commerce Legislative Series
conference Monday, although whiskey was also mentioned.
“Congressman Doug LaMalfa (R-Richvale) and Butte County
Supervisor Bill Connelly addressed a room full of people in
City Council Chambers who came to hear how federal and county
legislation and regulations impact the area.”
From the California Department of Water Resources’ Spotlight:
“DWR is constructing setback levees to improve flood protection
along Cache Creek in rural Yolo County. Setting the levees back
from the creek also will benefit fish and other wildlife by
creating additional floodplain for stream-shading riparian trees
and other vegetation.”
