A daily compilation of significant news articles and comment
September 13, 2007
2. Supply
AG WATER ISSUES:
Water crisis squeezes California's economy; A recent federal ruling to reduce the amount of water that flows through the delta is likely to boost food prices and trim jobs in agriculture - Christian Science Monitor
Editorial: Water rulings hurt state's agriculture -
SSJID suspends '08 water charge -
Editorial: Court order will dry up water supply;
Crystal Geyser loses bid to pump mineral water from Napa - Napa Valley Register
WATER SUPPLY PLANNING:
Dos Rios Water Project would be costly - Ukiah Daily Journal
WATER TRANSFER:
Cement plant to provide water for Shadow Cliffs; PLEASANTON: Park district is preparing infrastructure to deliver the flow after making a deal with CEMEX - Contra Costa Times
Editorial: Coping with drought; As Southern California gets drier, we're all going to have to swallow tougher water measures - Los Angeles Times
Editorial: Don't be a drip; Adopt stricter water conservation rules on your own -
AG WATER ISSUES:
Water crisis squeezes California's economy; A recent federal ruling to reduce the amount of water that flows through the delta is likely to boost food prices and trim jobs in agriculture
Christian Science Monitor – 9/12/07
By Daniel B. Wood, staff writer
Los Angeles -
Cities from
After 35 years of hemming and hawing over how to fix the largest estuary in the Western Hemisphere – the sprawl of canals, levees, and flood plains that join the Golden State's two river systems – the state has been told by a federal judge that business-as-usual is now illegal.
A new ruling to stop pumping up to 37 percent of the water that flows through the delta to protect endangered fish species has sent shock waves of concern into the three main sectors that have long competed for it: cities, farms, environment.
The estuary provides water to 23 million Californians and about 5 million acres of farmland. Overused and under maintained for years, the delta and its water are at the heart of the state's economic vitality, its wildlife habitat, shipping, transportation, drinking water, and recreation.
"In the water business we are facing the biggest challenges here in over half a century … there is no way any knowledgeable person could contest that," says Tim Quinn, executive director of the Association of California Water Agencies, which represents more than 450 of the state's water agencies that provide water to 95 percent of the state's farms and cities. "The state has had some success in better managing this problem for the last decade, but we have hid ourselves from the biggest issue … and Mother Nature is telling us there is no more hiding."
The biggest issue, say Mr. Quinn and others, is the clash between the environment, the
In recent years, the use of water in the delta has been crippled as a result of drought as well as age, with deteriorating levees that are vulnerable to flood, earthquake, and subsidence. It was environmental groups who most recently challenged water use. The ruling by US District Court Judge Oliver Wanger in
The agricultural community in the
Stephen Patricio, chairman of the board of directors for the Western Growers Association and a 30-year farmer of 2,000 acres of cantaloupe near
He expects his $6 million payroll, employing about 600 people during the harvest, will drop to about $1.5 million this year and force him to cut 400 jobs. Those losses will contribute to another 2,400 layoffs in related industries: truck drivers, tractor operators, seed operations, warehousing, repair, and fuel, he says.
The announcement is already having an effect on the loans farmers receive to operate their farms during 2008.
"Ninety percent of these farms need to be financed, and lenders have made it very clear that without a water plan, there is no money for 2008 crops," Mr. Patricio says.
Eighty percent of the water in
"This ruling was essentially an agreement that we need to protect habitat in the delta more than we have been, and what state and federal agencies have been doing is likely to drive the smelt to extinction," says Barry Nelson of the NRDC. "For all the serious concern about how the state is now going to meet its water needs, no one is saying that the court got it wrong. Everyone has known for a long time that this was coming."
Water agencies, farmers, and scientists agree, saying the ruling will force a much-needed opportunity to fine-tune the use of water to avoid waste.
"This alarm as been sounding about the delta for 30 years, and we've been pushing the snooze alarm," says Peter Gleick, president of the Pacific Institute, a nonprofit think tank in Oakland, Calif. "This may lead to some of the first discussions ever on how we manage growth in the state, how people live, how much we waste, and what crops we farm."
He notes that farming just three common crops – rice, cotton, and alfalfa – as well as irrigated pastures for cows use about half of the agricultural sector's allotment but earn a fraction of agricultural income. "We can continue to have a healthy economy with less water, but there has been no demand to do that yet," he says. "This ruling may drive us to do things we ought to be doing anyway."
Anticipating the reduced water spigot from the delta as of January 2008, water agencies north of it are telling their clients to cut back on water use. They are already spending money in new ad campaigns to remind users to cut back or face the possibility of mandatory laws with fines.
"We are spending millions to get the conservation message out that we need to conserve as if we are in a crunch," says Jeff Kightlinger, of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, which serves agencies and 18 million residents in six counties. He says the new rationing will affect 2 of every 3 Californians.
"Farmers across the state know this will be very tough and not pleasant," says Dave Kranz, spokesman for the California Farm Bureau Federation. "To the extent that you take farmland out of production for whatever reason, it increases another problem, which is providing enough American-grown food to serve the
Solutions are now in the works. A commission appointed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is planning to make recommendations next month, including ideas for dams and more storage capacity.
State Senate President pro tem Don Perata (D) is pushing two measures. One provides $200 million for immediate safeguards of freshwater flows from north to south. The second is a $5 billion bond that includes $2 billion to fix the water supply, improve flood protection, and boost fisheries in the delta, and $2 billion for water storage projects such as dams. #
http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0912/p02s01-ussc.html?page=1
Editorial: Water rulings hurt state's agriculture
AFEDERAL JUDGE'S decision to severely cut back water pumping from the Delta presents a historic choice for
Federal environmental law forced U.S. District Judge Oliver Wanger to order a reduction of about 1 million acre-feet of water being pumped from the Delta to save smelt from extinction.
That's enough water to supply 2 million households.
The water cutbacks come after a May decision by Wanger that the federal projects that supply water to farms and 25million Californians were violating the Endangered Species Act.
A month earlier, a
As a result of the cutbacks, which could be as many as 2million acre-feet under some conditions, San Joaquin Valley farms will be forced to idle hundreds of thousands of acres of productive land, probably in the next growing season.
Also hit hard will be the Zone 7 Water Agency, which supplies water to 200,000 people in Dublin, Livermore and Pleasanton. Much of the district's water comes from the state water project, which pumps supplies out of the Delta.
Other urban water districts from the Bay Area to
The biggest loser in
Some environmentalists wanted even steeper reductions in water pumping to protect the endangered Delta ecosystem.
Several species of fish are declining in the Delta, and the situation could get worse without sufficient flows of fresh water.
There is room for better agricultural water use by eliminating certain crops, such as cotton, in arid regions. Greater use of drip irrigation also would help.
However, the kind of water cutbacks ordered by Wanger would still cause a significant loss to farms that use water wisely.
What is becoming increasingly clear is that the only practical way to ensure enough fresh water for the Delta environment, farms and urban users is to store much larger supplies of water during the wet months so there is enough to deliver to all users year-round.
With the pumping cutbacks, time is running out for decisive action on increasing the state's ability to supply water in an environmentally responsible manner.
That means building at least a couple of major new reservoirs, or significantly enlarging older ones, and an updated delivery system.
That alternative to inaction is a devastating blow to one of the state's largest industries. #
http://www.insidebayarea.com/argus/oped/ci_6869980
SSJID suspends '08 water charge
South San Joaquin Irrigation District is waving 2008 water charges for farmers.
But there's one slight detail. If they're not current on this year's bill by Nov. 1, they will have to pay for 2008 water.
The board Tuesday directed staff to waive the charges for one year. The move will provide district farmers a collective relief of roughly $1.3 million.
District leaders stressed this isn't being done because the district has excess water. It is based on farmers being frugal and participating in efforts to keep costs down over the years that has led to the district's strong financial position.
It is also an early "payback" on the Tri-Dam benefits that the board intends to use to lower electric bills for rural and urban users within the district as soon as possible. That, however, requires obtaining the PG&E distribution system first.
The board last month also wanted the City of
The issue of farmer charges had to be settled to meet legal deadlines on establishing rates.
As of July 31, the district had $46.6 million in various accounts. It's annual operating budget is $12 million. #
http://mantecabulletin.com/main.asp?FromHome=1&TypeID=1&ArticleID=54304&SectionID=28&SubSectionID=58
Editorial: Court order will dry up water supply;
Marysville Appeal Democrat – 9/13/07
When one hears about food shortages, droughts and other disasters in Third World countries, a closer look almost always reveals that such problems are man-made, usually the result of asinine government land-use or economic policies.
Even in wealthy
While natural cycles – a heat wave and long drought – are also sipping away at the state’s water supplies, a massive new shortage of water resources could result from a strange decision by a federal judge in a lawsuit brought by environmental activists.
As the Environment News Service reported, “U.S. District Judge Oliver Wanger on Aug. 31 ordered the State Water Project and federal Central Valley Project to reduce pumping in the (
The little fish has trouble swimming fast enough to escape the pull of the pumps. Unfortunately, the fish’s problem will soon become
“We’re already pinched on
Northern Californians, who long have chafed at
The Schwarzenegger administration is pushing for a $5.9 billion plan to assure continued supplies from the Delta, according to published reports, and is warning about a coming crisis. So no matter what, the likely result will be forced conservation, more bond debt and higher prices for water consumers. Once again, government will have been the main obstacle to progress. #
http://www.appeal-democrat.com/articles/water_53931___article.html/delta_california.html
Crystal Geyser loses bid to pump mineral water from Napa
By Kevin Courtney, staff writer
Saying they are concerned about global warming and millions of plastic water bottles, Napa City Councilmembers won’t let Crystal Geyser tap into a city aquifer for mineral water.
Crystal Geyser’s well application was rejected on a 3-2 vote Tuesday, with Councilman Mark van Gorder saying that bottled water companies were contributing to global warming by putting their product in billions of plastic containers.
Crystal Geyser’s proposal to dig a well beneath
Plastic water bottles have become a lightning rod for criticism by environmentalists who want consumers to reduce use of goods whose production creates greenhouse gases.
Napa Mayor Jill Techel based her opposition on her desire to protect
Crystal Geyser, based in Calistoga, produced multiple reports from hydrologists who said extracting 100 acre feet annually would have no impact on the area’s underground supply. One hundred acre feet is about the quantity consumed by 300 homes in a year.
Far greater quantities have been extracted from the area for industrial use in the early 20th century without any impact, they said. The aquifer under
The company submitted plans to monitor the water table weekly. If it showed signs of dropping or if
Responding to council concerns about traffic, Crystal Geyser submitted a plan to keep its double-tanker trucks off the road during morning and afternoon rush hours.
The bottler planned 20 truck visits to
“It’s in our interest to protect this resource,” said Peter Gordon, a founding partner at Crystal Geyser.
Council members Juliana Inman and Peter Mott supported Crystal Geyser’s proposal, saying that environmental and operational concerns had been mitigated.
“Regardless of how I may not like it, I think they’re within their rights to draw that water out,” Mott said.
Van Gorder countered that the project’s environmental analysis didn’t take into account the impact of the plastics industry on global warming. As a petroleum-based product, plastic generates a lot of greenhouse gasses during its production, he said.
Councilman Jim Krider voted against the project, saying bottled water contributed to environmental degradation while generating no jobs or taxes for
The Planning Commission had rejected Crystal Geyser’s application, calling water extraction an incompatible use for a light industrial park.
Owners of office condominiums at an adjacent property, Napa Valley Venture Commerce, protested the water operation. It would generate noisy truck traffic next to high-end office and hotel uses, they said.
The city attorney will come back at a future meeting with a motion detailing the various environmental and land use considerations that make Crystal Geyser’s well at bad fit for
Crystal Geyser had offered to change its mineral water label to credit
“It’s nice to have
http://www.napavalleyregister.com/articles/2007/09/13/news/local/doc46e83c719b00e967614573.txt
WATER SUPPLY PLANNING:
Dos Rios Water Project would be costly
Ukiah Daily Journal – 9/13/07
By Rob Burgess, staff writer
If the proposed Dos Rios Water Extraction Project is approved, relief for the area's water crisis may be in sight--but some say not without substantial cost.
At Tuesday's Mendocino County Board of Supervisors meeting, the board sat as the Mendocino County Water Agency for the afternoon session.
During the meeting, it heard a presentation from Water Agency General Manager Roland Sanford regarding the proposal.
He said the feasibility of the pipeline, which would begin with a diversion from alluvial gravel deposits adjacent to the river channel and run from Dos Rios to
"This is very expensive," he said. "We have to figure out if there is enough demand to spread the cost among the potential users.
The distance between the potential water source and potential water users is pretty far as well."
The proposed path of the pipeline was supposed to follow the defunct Northern Pacific railroad tracks between the two towns, which would present its own problems.
"The cost of maintaining right-of-way would be one concern," he said. "Also we'd be pumping the water uphill almost 1,000 feet in elevation. It's not cheap to pump water uphill."
"The definition of domestic water use' allows for the use of the
Sanford said a 2002 legal opinion by county counsel stated that a "water diversion facility can be constructed at Dos Rios if the Secretary of the State Resources Agency determined that the water diversion facility is needed to supply domestic water to the residents of Mendocino County and that the water diversion will not adversely affect the river's free-flowing condition and natural character."
Any decision on the proposed project was delayed until the next board meeting by 5th District Supervisor J. David Colfax, who invoked Rule 22.
"Any motion which by its terms calls for an appropriation or expenditure of money shall, upon request and without further action, be continued to the next regularly scheduled Board meeting," states Rule 22 of the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors Rules of procedure.
The next board meeting will take place Sept. 18 at the
http://www.ukiahdailyjournal.com/ci_6882674
WATER TRANSFER:
Cement plant to provide water for Shadow Cliffs; PLEASANTON: Park district is preparing infrastructure to deliver the flow after making a deal with CEMEX
Contra Costa Times – 9/13/07
By Meera Pal, staff writer
Providing a much-needed backup source for replenishing the 80-acre lake at Shadow Cliffs Regional Recreation Area, the East Bay Regional Park District has announced a deal to receive additional water from a local cement plant.
A popular swimming, boating and fishing spot in
The park district usually siphons groundwater from the nearby Arroyo del Valle to fill up the lake. But that access is limited, as the arroyo also serves the Zone 7 Water Agency and its customers in
Through a recent agreement, CEMEX -- one of the largest cement and ready-mix companies in the country -- will provide fresh water from its holding ponds to the park district.
"When we quarry, we keep our water on-site and we sometimes have some in reserve," said Syl LaMacchia, manager of the CEMEX Eliot Plant on
The water is used to wash sand and gravel -- the aggregates -- and is available for other uses after it undergoes a several-stage settling process. CEMEX tests the water to meet state standards before releasing the water to streams.
"There is nothing that we do except wash sand and gravel with it," LaMacchia said.
In addition to CEMEX's testing, park district officials will also monitor the water.
According to spokeswoman Shelly Lewis, the park district is currently adding the infrastructure needed to "pipe the water from the holding ponds to the lake."
LaMacchia estimated the distance between the lake and the ponds to be about 2,000 feet. The plant borders the east side of Shadow Cliffs in
Ultimately, this arrangement could save the park district and taxpayers thousands of dollars annually in potential water usage fees, and in construction costs for alternatives such as pumping water from other quarries.
The 266-acre Shadow Cliffs Recreation Area was donated to the park district by Kaiser Industries. A $250,000 matching grant from the U.S. Bureau of Outdoor Recreation was used to develop the park lands, lake and a four-flume waterslide, parking and picnic grounds.
The popular swim area is open on weekends in spring and fall and daily in the summer.
Quarry companies have long added water to the Arroyo del Valle, keeping its flow through
In summer 2006, Zone 7's board adopted a stream management plan. A key component of the plan is the formation of the "chain of lakes."
These lakes -- Shadow Cliffs among them -- would form a crescent from northeast
The stored water would be released downstream only after storms pass through the area, allowing arroyos to maintain a more natural state. Also as part of the management plan, 10 projects would remove or modify fish-passage barriers in Arroyo Mocho, Arroyo del Valle and Arroyo de la Laguna waterways. #
Editorial: Coping with drought; As
In the late summer of a bone-dry 2007, 2008 is already looking like another bad year for water supplies in
Two weeks ago, a federal judge ruled that state and federal water projects must limit the pumping operations that move fresh water through the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta and into the southern part of the state -- all to protect the delta smelt, an endangered fish considered a bellwether for that region's fragile ecosystem. That may sound arcane, but it has serious everyday consequences. The water that flows through the delta serves 25 million people, providing more than a third of
Water districts from Silicon Valley to
It's great that
A more inspiring and productive response would capitalize on the sense of urgency and call on
Editorial: Don't be a drip; Adopt stricter water conservation rules on your own
Even without the impending reduction in water supply from Northern California,
The water board plans to meet today to consider declaring a water-supply shortage and strict regulations on how residents and business use water. We support the recommendations by Water Department administrators and urge the board to pass them.
It will not be a picnic. We remember the rationing of the 1980s and 1990s, but it's time for residents to get in the habit of treating water for what it is, a precious commodity, rather than something they can spray all over the driveways whenever they choose.
The Water Department has not declared a water shortage in 16 years, so the potential move today is not without significance.
The board plans to consider eight rules to reduce water use that would restrict outdoor watering to three days a week and force restaurants to serve drinking water only on request.
Those who do not comply with the new rules face penalties, higher rates and - for serious offenders - a shutdown in service.
Fortunately the penalties are preventable for those willing to adopt a few smart conservation techniques, such as watering yards before 8 a.m., adjusting sprinkler settings to avoid overspray, sweeping driveways, repairing leaking sprinkler heads and faucets, tearing out lawns and installing drought-resistant plants, taking three-minute showers and washing only full loads of dishes and clothes.
Though change is hard for those used to watering their lawns until they look like fairways, there is an upside to all of this: lower bills for those who comply. #
http://www.presstelegram.com/opinions/ci_6876112
####
No comments:
Post a Comment