A daily compilation of significant news articles and comment
December 10, 2007
3. Watersheds
COLORADO RIVER AGREEMENT:
States OK new deal on Colorado River water - San Francisco
States agree on plan to make water last; As reservoirs dwindle, river states agree to a landmark conservation plan - Arizona Republic
KLAMATH RIVER :
Fish benefit of a Klamath pact questioned; As groups plan to vote on water deal, new studies say salmon may get shorted - Sacramento Bee
Suit alleges Klamath dams spewing toxins downriver; State officials issued warning about 'blue-green' algae during peak of salmon season -
INVASIVE SPECIES:
Tiny snail adds to pressure on San Lorenzo River fish; Officials fear that species could take food supplies needed by coho salmon, steelhead trout - Contra Costa Times
COASTAL WETLANDS PROJECT:
Coastal wetlands project shows progress halfway to completion - San Diego Union Tribune
CLIMATE ISSUES:
Symposium looks at climate change - Auburn Journal
Conservancy awards $2.8 million for
Experts Talk Turkey about Climate Change at Sierra Nevada Conservancy Symposium; Action needed now to avoid dire consequences - YubaNet.com
COLORADO RIVER AGREEMENT:
States OK new deal on Colorado River water
San Francisco Chronicle/New York Times – 12/10/07
Facing the worst drought in a century and the prospect that climate change could produce long-term changes on the
State and federal officials praised the agreement, which Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne was expected to sign Thursday, as a landmark akin to the Colorado River Compact of 1922 that first divvied up how much water the seven states served by the river - California, Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, Utah, New Mexico and Wyoming - receive annually.
The new accord, outlined by federal officials in a telephone news conference Friday, spells out how three down-river states,
The accord is expected to forestall likely litigation as fast-growing states jockey for the best way to keep the water flowing to their residents and businesses in increasingly dry times. It would be in effect through 2026 and could be revised during that time.
Some environmental groups said the pact did not go far enough to encourage conservation and discourage growth. But federal officials said they took the best of several proposals by the states, environmental organizations and others and emphasized the importance of all seven states agreeing with the result.
The pact, the product of 2 1/2 years of negotiation and study, establishes criteria for the Interior Department to declare a shortage on the river, which would occur when the system is unable to produce the 7.5 million acre-feet of water, enough to supply 15 million homes for a year, that the three down-river states are entitled to.
Water deliveries would be decreased based on how far water levels drop in Lake Mead and
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/12/10/MN8VTRA7K.DTL&hw=water&sn=007&sc=627
States agree on plan to make water last; As reservoirs dwindle, river states agree to a landmark conservation plan
Arizona Republic
By Shaun McKinnon, staff writer
Water users from the seven Colorado River states are expected to ratify a regional drought plan this week in
The heart of the plan is the heart of the river system, its two largest reservoirs along
Drought has drained the two reservoirs to below half capacity, increasing the threat of water shortages upstream and in
The plan guides management of the river through 2026 using reservoir levels to trigger rationing and a series of experimental conservation programs. Environmental groups say the plan fails to protect the river itself, but the states insist they produced what they could within their limits.
"This won't eliminate the risk of shortage, but it prolongs the period of time before we experience one," said Sid Wilson, general manager of the Central Arizona Project, which delivers Colorado River water to
Finally, a plan
The seven river states -
And when a string of wet years followed, the states instead adopted rules to manage surplus water.
Almost before those rules took effect, drought hit again. Faced with potential shortages and threats from the Interior secretary to impose a federal solution, water users started talking about what happens if the river can't supply demands.
What emerged from negotiations was a plan built around the two big reservoirs.
Until now, separate rules governed the way water flowed from
The drought plan, which includes parts of the old surplus guidelines, would impose one set of rules to operate the reservoirs, balancing the needs of users in both the upper and lower basins. Low water levels in Lake Mead will trigger rationing in
The first trigger would cut
"By managing the two reservoirs together rather than fighting over how much water will be released every year, we'll help mitigate the probability of
How it works
Barely 300 miles separate
If water levels at Powell drop too low, upstream users would face cutbacks. Hydropower generation would decline. Recreation venues would close. As Lake Mead shrinks, so would
How water users along the
The construction of Glen Canyon Dam in the 1960s gave birth to Page on the shores of
Mike McNabb has fished
"They say it'll never be full again," he said. "But we could have some unbelievable winters and in about three years fill that lake up again. You just never know."
Two years ago, spring runoff inundated parts of the lake that had been dry, covering tamarisk and other plants that had sprouted. With a new food source under water, the fish population exploded.
Anglers get used to events like that, McNabb said. "Right now, the water's going down, and I know a lot of places where it's good when it's down. In the spring, when the lake comes up, I've learned where the good spots are."
Because
"The problem is now we have to go through the narrows, between the cliffs, and smaller boats have to wait for the big ones to go through so they don't get caught in the wakes," McNabb said. "Sooner or later there's going to be an accident."
Environmental groups have protested the dredging plan, calling it a temporary fix that will degrade the canyon and the lakeshore. They say the boat path, like the broader drought plan, risks the
Some of those groups proposed their own drought plan, which would have imposed stricter conservation measures. The states' plan, environmentalists say, relies too heavily on the river's past behavior.
"With the region in its longest recorded drought and reservoirs at below 50 percent capacity, it's amazing that the states would assume the
Brad Udall, an environmental engineer at the Western Water Assessment in
"In the Southwest, almost all the models point to drier conditions," he said.
Scientists and decision makers must now figure out which models to believe.
The states say the drought plan before them now will help bridge the gap in scientific study and avoid paralyzing conflicts over water supplies.
"We now have a better understanding of the risks and what the impacts will be associated with those risks," said Wilson, the CAP executive.
The greater immediate risk was failing to reach an agreement and allowing the dispute to spill into a courtroom.
"Failure was not an option," said Pat Mulroy, general manager of the Southern Nevada Water Authority. "Failure is uncertainty for all of us, it's chaos for all of us, it's spending public dollars in absolutely useless ways.
"You'll never get as good an arrangement from a judge," she said. "No matter how well-intentioned or how well-informed a judge is, he's still not responsible at the end of the day to deliver water to people. We are." #
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/1209coloriver-lakes1209.html
KLAMATH RIVER :
Fish benefit of a Klamath pact questioned; As groups plan to vote on water deal, new studies say salmon may get shorted
Sacramento
By David Whitney, staff writer
Now, just as the 26 organizations involved in the secret talks are about to vote on whether to endorse the nearly completed pact, new studies raise doubts about whether it will send enough water down the ailing 263-mile-long river to lift its salmon runs from the brink of extinction.
No one disputes that the river is killing fish.
Recent runs have been so poor that Congress sent $60 million earlier this year to help relieve a financial disaster for fishermen, the result of a massive fish kill in 2002. Troubling signs now are emerging on the river's tributaries, including the
Neither is there any dispute over the leading cause.
Four small hydroelectric dams operated by PacifiCorp cut the river system in half, diverting so much water to high desert irrigation in southern
Parallel talks are under way with the Portland-based utility to remove the dams. The proposed deal focuses on amicably resolving other issues, including how much water farmers get in the upper basin and how much is sent down the river, on the assumption the dams are coming down.
It is an expensive proposal intended to bring peace to the river system for 60 years. Over the first dozen years, it calls for more than $900 million in federal spending – twice what taxpayers are now spending.
"I think we're on the brink of totally redefining how the Klamath River is operated, and making a landscape change in the upper basin that will be good for everybody," said Craig Tucker of the Karuk Tribe in
But two recent studies prepared for the
William Trush, an environmental consultant on the faculty of
Their Nov. 9 reports question whether the deal can produce the additional water storage that it promises. They are critical of specific allocations of water for irrigation and nothing similar for restoring salmon runs. And the timelines are fuzzy.
"I am concerned that the successful implementation of the settlement agreement hinges on a conceptual plan which has no guarantees of being achieved within a specified amount of time," Kamman wrote.
The reports, which follow a National Research Council study last month supporting higher river flows, pose the potential for pushing some participants away from the deal.
"They could cause problems; I don't know," said Greg Addington of the Klamath Water Users Association. "But we want the agreement to work for fish."
Greg King of Northcoast declined to talk about the studies his group commissioned, saying he was concerned they had been leaked to The Bee in apparent violation of confidentiality agreements.
But the group's board of directors has been meeting to formulate its position on the settlement, and King called river flows the group's "most crucial issue."
"It's dicey," he said of the agreement. "We would be giving up some of our legal rights."
Commercial fishermen involved in the talks also seemed more cautious because the gains they want are outside the power of the negotiators to produce.
"The intent of the settlement agreement is to assure more water in the river, even during droughts, than has historically occurred," said Glen Spain of the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations.
Critics of the deal say the studies may make the proposal's funding, already a huge issue, even more problematic. Much of the money would provide power subsidies for irrigators and economic development funds for counties and Indian tribes as well as restoration of the river and basin.
Critics wonder why Congress would agree to spend more than $900 million for this when there are doubts it will recover endangered fish. Some think the salmon runs are being sacrificed for news coverage of the dams someday being torn out.
"What I worry about is the trade-off," said Bob Hunter, a staff attorney for Water Watch of Oregon.
Jim McCarthy, spokesman for Oregon Wild, said he sees a "boondoggle" in the making.
"With no set allocation for fish, it says we are hoping to get the flows they need," he said. "But the flows they are talking about are less than what the scientists say the fish need."
But Tucker, of the Karuk Tribe, said that Water Watch and Oregon Wild – excluded from talks last year after they refused to sign onto the framework for them – are trying to torpedo the deal. #
http://www.sacbee.com/111/story/553847.html
Suit alleges Klamath dams spewing toxins downriver; State officials issued warning about 'blue-green' algae during peak of salmon season
Santa Rosa Press Democrat – 12/7/07
By Mike Geniella, staff writer
A lawsuit filed in federal court alleges toxic algae is being discharged into streams and reservoirs below four controversial dams on the upper
The suit was filed in U.S. District Court in
Fears of possible effects from the algae on salmon habitat and water users prompted state water quality officials to post warnings the length of the Klamath during the recent peak salmon fishing season, according to the lawsuit.
"This discharge has serious consequences for both the environment and human health," said Regina Chichizola, Klamath Riverkeeper.
But PacifiCorp, the Portland, Ore.-based utility that owns and operates the Klamath dams, this week dismissed the concerns, calling them "exaggerated and groundless."
Spokeswoman Jan Mitchell said Thursday that the "blue-green" algae found in the Klamath is harmless and often found in rivers, reservoirs and lakes across Northern California including
"We are not discharging any toxic substance into the lower Klamath," said Mitchell.
The new legal challenge was filed two weeks after a federal agency's final environmental report recommended the dams remain in place. Instead of dam removal, staff for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is recommending renewal of PacifiCorp's power generating licenses but with new restrictions, including a disputed "truck-and-haul" system to get spawning salmon around the dams and upstream to traditional spawning grounds.
Fishing groups, environmentalists and tribal leaders are pressing for dam removal in order to enhance restoration of what was once the nation's third-biggest producer of salmon. The suit is the latest salvo in a hard-fought conflict pitting fish against 90 years of benefits from hydroelectric production that currently meets the needs of nearly 200,000 people.
In the lawsuit, the Riverkeeper organization contends that levels of toxic algae downstream on the Klamath have been found to be nearly 4,000 times what is considered safe for recreational contact by the World Health Organization.
"The lawsuit will demonstrate that the toxic algae is a solid waste created by Pacificorp's damming of the Klamath River, and that it is illegally discharging the waste in violation of (federal law)," according to Chichizola, the Klamath Riverkeeper.
Daniel Cooper of Lawyers for Clean Water, Inc. said its "high time for PacifiCorp to take responsibility for the destruction of one of
But company spokeswoman Mitchell said the lawsuit was part of a calculated "public relations campaign."
"They have cited violation of federal laws that govern solid waste discharges, not common algae growth in rivers, and lakes," Mitchell said. #
http://www1.pressdemocrat.com/article/20071208/NEWS/712080316/1033/NEWS01
INVASIVE SPECIES:
Tiny snail adds to pressure on
Contra Costa Times – 12/10/07
By Kurtis Alexander, MEDIANEWS STAFF
City officials announced this week that the
"When you add the mud snail to all the other impacts these fish have to deal with, you're talking about possible extinction," said Chris Berry, water resources manager for
Local officials became aware of the snail's presence in the river last week, when out-of-town researchers reported seeing the snail just north of Highway 1, along the river off Ocean Street Extension.
How long the mud snails have lived there is not known.
But city and county officials say now that they're aware of the snail, limiting its impact is a top priority.
"It's important to contain the snail so it doesn't spread to other waterways in our area," said Kristen Kittleson, fishery resources planner for the county.
The snail gets around primarily by attaching itself to humans, officials say, and the best way to stop it from spreading is to inform those who spend time in and around the water that they may be carriers.
City and county officials hope to launch a campaign to get fishers to wash their gear after casting in the San Lorenzo, but they have yet to get a buy-in from the state Department of Fish and Game, which oversees efforts to control pests in
The steelhead fishing season began here Saturday, but low water levels haven't brought out many anglers.
The aquatic mud snail is native to
At many of the state's infested sites, Fish and Game officials have worked to bring the snail's presence to the attention of the public, posting signs along rivers and fliers at boat and tackle shops.
State officials concede that little research has been done on the snail's long-term impacts on steelhead and coho. But given the snail's rapid advancement, officials are worried.
"There hasn't been any evidence of waterways where they've devastated a fishery," said Steve Martarano, spokesman for the Fish and Game Department. "But there's really no way to eradicate them."
The mud snail reproduces asexually, and one snail can produce dozens of embryos. The mollusk faces little threat in
Native fish populations in the
Coho salmon, which is federally listed as endangered, vanished about 20 years ago from the
COASTAL WETLANDS PROJECT:
Coastal wetlands project shows progress halfway to completion
By Elizabeth Fitzsimons, staff writer
They are endangered
Their new homes – five nesting sites are being built around San Dieguito Lagoon for endangered and threatened waterfowl – will be part of a wetlands preserve, which planners hope will draw all kinds of migratory and salt marsh birds as well as raptors, plus fish, reptiles and mammals ranging from mice to coyotes.
The envisioned preserve, which will be accessible by viewing platforms, a visitors center and a trail that will be linked with one reaching from the ocean to Julian, will be completed in early 2009.
The San Dieguito Wetlands Restoration Project, a massive and expensive undertaking that began more than a year ago, is now at the halfway point.
When finished, 150 acres of wetlands on both sides of Interstate 5 south of Via de la Valle will have been returned to their natural state, similar to the way they were before farming and construction of the Del Mar Fairgrounds and a World War II airfield.
That, said Del Mar Mayor Carl Hilliard, has been “a
The coastal lagoons are stopping points along the bird-migration route known as the Pacific Flyway, and they serve as hatcheries for fish. Yet most of the state's coastal wetlands have been destroyed by development, making this restoration vital.
And the work has quite the audience. Thousands of vehicles pass by on the I-5 freeway every day, and many no doubt wonder what is going on. Some worry that they are witnessing the construction of homes or a shopping center, and they complain to public officials.
On busy days, the site resembles an ant farm, the earthmovers methodically transferring material from one spot to the next on a self-contained system of dirt roads.
The three-year, $86 million project is being paid for by Southern California Edison as a way to make up for the loss of marine life at its San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station north of
“We have a great project in our town that the taxpayers aren't paying a dime for,” contractor Mike Furby said.
Furby is president of Marathon Construction Co., which has 28 pieces of heavy equipment on the site and 16 subcontractors, from geotechnical engineers and paleontologists to archaeologists and biologists. Construction crews have built a network of roads allowing them to remain on-site for all their work and off public roads.
So far, crews have removed what remained of the airfield, adjacent to the fairgrounds, and dug a lagoon in its place, removing more than 800,000 cubic yards of dirt to areas east of Interstate 5. About 200,000 cubic yards have been removed from an area north of the lagoon, which will be low-and midmarsh habitats.
Dirt and sand from one area is stockpiled in another, where it waits to be used for nesting sites and the construction of 8,000 feet of berms that will protect the wetlands in the event of a major flood. Topsoil, rich in seeds, also is being saved for the upland coastal scrub habitat.
“We're going to try to do all the planting next fall, so we'll get the winter rain and it'll be going by spring,” Furby said.
By the time it is completed, 2 million cubic yards of earth will have been excavated. Early in 2009, the San Dieguito River mouth will be opened, and it will be kept open permanently to allow the ocean water in and out of the wetlands with the tide. It will take two to three years after completion for all the plant life to grow in.
The power company will maintain the wetlands preserve until 2050, when the role will be assumed by the San Dieguito Joint Powers Authority. The authority, formed in 1989 as an agency with representatives from the county and five city governments, is responsible for acquiring land in the San Dieguito River Valley for the San Dieguito River Park, a natural open-space park stretching from the beach in
Southern California
Samir Tanious, the company's project manager, has been on the project for 15 years.
“People have created lagoons everywhere, but this is very unique,” Tanious said.
In the early planning stages, there was a leaning toward digging a deep lagoon, like Batiquitos Lagoon in
Then other ideas were considered, Tanious said. A plan was created for a mixed-habitat preserve, where parts of the land at times would be covered with water and at others would be mud flats.
Similar restoration projects have shown that it is possible to entice migratory birds, Tanious said. You just have to make the spot attractive. Least terns, for example, prefer coarse white sand with some encrusted shells.
“Once you create that ecosystem, they will come to it,” Tanious said.
On a recent morning, Furby and Tanious stood on one of the berms, which are built with drainpipes cutting through them at about 8 feet above the water level. In case of a major flood, the pipes would relieve the swollen river.
“These berms are designed to protect the wetland and continue the sediment transfer to the beaches,” Tanious said.
Right now, this place is all water and dirt at varying levels. It takes imagination to see what it one day will be. Yet it apparently has appeal.
Across the water from the berm, a great blue heron stood in the reeds, seeming not to mind the whizzing traffic on Interstate 5 or the earthmover chugging along with another load of dirt. #
http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20071209/news_7m9lagoon.html
CLIMATE ISSUES:
Symposium looks at climate change
Auburn Journal – 12/8/07
By Gus Thomson, staff writer
Jumpstarting dialogue on climate change in the
Climate change due to global warming is a growing problem that threatens to reduce the mountain snowpack 70 percent by the end of the century, according to some scientific estimates.
Dan Cayan, research meteorologist at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, said that scientific evidence and projections indicate the pace of warming is quickening.
"Over the
The warming is more evident at higher elevations, meaning snowpack and water storage could be acutely affected in coming years, he said.
One question still left unanswered as studies on snowpack and climate continue is whether the area will get wetter or drier, as well as hotter, Cayan said told the Wednesday symposium.
About 200 people crowded into the Miner's Foundry for a day of discussion drawing participants from around the sprawling mountain region the Sierra Nevada Conservancy is charged with helping to tie better together economically, environmentally and socially. The conservancy was created by state legislation in 2004 and is now temporarily headquartered in
With the year's storm season poised to start in earnest - and the annual question of whether precipitation will be enough to avoid a drought year - the conservancy presented several experts who warned that indications clearly show a climate shift toward more heat and less snow. Total annual streamflow in Sierra reservoirs is projected to drop 10 to 20 percent before 2050. The ski season could be shortened by as much as four months by the end of the 21st century.
David Breninger, Placer County Water Agency general manager, said that with a mountain watershed supplying agricultural as well as residential customers and hydro-electric power generation facilities serving 200,000 people, there is a high degree of concern.
"We emphasize that water conservation practices are critically important," Breninger said.
>From a personal standpoint, Breninger said he has seen areas that normally would hold snow late into the spring or early summer now being accessible much earlier.
"Things are definitely changing," Breninger said. "I'm not too sure I know all the reasons but there is definitely a change going on."
Symposium sessions provided discussions on the implications of changes in precipitation and temperature on water supply, vegetation, fish and wildlife habitat, fire frequency and recreation. "The symposium offered the opportunity for a regional dialogue among local decision-makers, state and federal officials and others about creative ways of addressing the impacts and implications of climate change in the Sierra and beyond," said conservancy Executive Officer Jim Branham. "The
Frank Gehrke, chief of snow surveys for the California Department of Water Resources, said the challenge for water managers is to base coming decisions on a rain rather than snowpack releases.
"Each watershed or basin is going to be affected differently," Gehrke said. "The northern watersheds, from
http://www.auburnjournal.com/articles/2007/12/09/news/top_stories/04climate09.txt?pg=3
Conservancy awards $2.8 million for
Tahoe Tribune – 12/7/07
The Sierra Nevada Conservancy has awarded nearly $2.8 million in funding for 48 projects located throughout the
“Today marks the launch of the Sierra Nevada Conservancy’s grant funding program,” said Secretary for Resources and SNC Board Chair Mike Chrisman. “We are very pleased to provide financial support for local and region-wide projects that will result in the protection and restoration of Sierra watersheds and natural resources.”
The funding for the grants comes from Proposition 84, the Safe Drinking Water, Water Quality and Supply, Flood Control, River and Coast Protection Bond Act passed by
This year’s state budget includes $17 million of the $54 million for the SNC to distribute by June of 2008. It is anticipated that the additional funds will be appropriated to the Conservancy over the next two fiscal years. This year’s $17 million allocation constitutes the first major source of project funding for distribution by the SNC.
“We are thrilled with the response in terms of the number and quality of applications received,” reported Jim Branham, SNC executive officer. “The projects authorized by the Board most strongly met the evaluation criteria, meaning that these are projects that will make positive contributions towards achieving the goals of the SNC. We anticipate continuing to receive applications for quality projects in future grant cycles.”
SNC staff is currently reviewing applications received for additional awards to be considered by the SNC’s Board at its next meeting in March of 2008. Grant applications received prior to December 30 (for certain types of grants) may be considered at the March meeting. Information regarding the SNC and its grants program can be found at www.sierranevada.ca.gov.
The SNC was created by legislation signed into law in 2004 by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. The organization covers an area of 25 million acres in all or part of 22
http://www.tahoedailytribune.com/article/20071207/NEWS01/71207006&SearchID=73302035643499
Experts Talk Turkey about Climate Change at
YubaNet.com – 12/7/07
By Susan Lauer, YubaNet
That climate change is occurring now is indisputable, and we need to take action now to avoid dire consequences in the future.
That was the message delivered during the first annual symposium on "Climate Change in the Sierra" hosted by the Sierra Nevada Conservancy (SNC) on Wednesday, Dec. 5 in Nevada City.
Up to 300 representatives of government agencies, businesses, non-profits and concerned citizens from across the region were on hand to hear about the potential impacts of climate change in discussion sessions moderated by the state's foremost experts from the academic, government, business and non-profit fields.
"We want you to take away ideas for action as a region, community and as individuals," SNC Executive Officer Jim Branham told the audience. "What can we do to address the important issue of climate change?"
Global temperatures have jumped on average 1.1 degrees in recent decades and will increase another 2 to 10 degrees or more in coming decades, depending on how successful we are at reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Even today, said a number of experts, residents can see the effects of climate change by simply returning to a favorite local spot and noticing the different scenery from years past.
"It's about recognition that climate change is happening. The question now is to what extent are we behind this and what can we do to address it?" said California Secretary of Resources Mike Chrisman. "How do we balance the goals of habitat conservation and protect biodiversity? We have to adapt. This is a big challenge in the Sierra."
Speakers provided in-depth explanations of how climate change can affect the
- Runoff from winter snow is beginning up to three to four weeks earlier than normal. This poses a problem for much of the state, which relies on the Sierra for 60 percent of its freshwater supply.
- More frequent wildfires of greater than 1,000 acres will threaten mountain and foothill communities, which will face longer summertime fire seasons.
- Ice on mountain lakes will melt earlier and produce algae blooms that cloud up the water and harm fish.
- Plants will bloom earlier and there will be a shift in species – plants and trees will grow in different locations as they adapt to warmer conditions.
As individuals and in our communities, we must be diligent, said Jonas Minton, a water policy advisor to the Planning and Conservation League and former deputy director of the California Department of Water Resources. He emphasized three points:
"We need to question the way that we are thinking about climate change. We need to change faster. Don't plan or act for 2100. It's an issue now."
"The kinds of actions and sacrifices needed are of the magnitude our parents and grandparents faced during World War II. We must look to regional self-reliance."
"We need to find ways we can maintain our spirits."
The symposium focused on two main areas with specific tracts on each topic:
Climate change implications for the Sierra
1) Impacts of snow and water - panel discussion on the effects of climate change on water management, supply, recreation, and fisheries and other economic and social issues.
2) Impacts on Sierra landscapes - panel discussion on the effects of climate change on vegetation, fire, habitat and other economic and social issues.
How the Sierra can be part of the solution: The unique tools within the Sierra for dealing with these issues
1) Carbon and Beyond - panel discussion regarding forests, biomass, carbon sequestration, potential markets, and forest management practices.
2) Community Adaptation - panel discussion on federal land management, development/building, transportation/air quality.
The Sierra Nevada Conservancy (SNC) is a state agency within the Resources Agency founded in 2004 to provide strategic direction for the environmental, economic and social well-being of the
Read the speaker bios at http://sierranevadaconservancy.ca.gov/docs/speakerbios.pdf
Related article:
Sierra Nevada Conservancy Approves First Round of Grants. #
http://www.yubanet.com/artman/publish/article_72270.shtml
YubaNet.com – 12/6/07
On the heels of yesterday's symposium "Climate Change in the Sierra," Sierra Nevada Conservancy (SNC) board members met at
The Sierra Nevada Conservancy is the largest conservancy in the state with 25 million acres from the
Governor Schwarzenegger signed AB 2600, sponsored by Assemblymembers Tim Leslie (
The governing board, headed by Resources Secretary Mike Chrisman, briefly discussed the outcome of the climate change symposium. "The symposium set a very high bar for discussion on climate change," Chrisman said. Board member B.J. Kirwan was impressed with the caliber of both the panelists and the audience. Suggestions for next year's symposium abounded, both from members of the SNC's board and the public, many of whom attended the event.
The
A final decision on permanent headquarters has been postponed until the last meeting in the current fiscal year. Discussions with interested parties within a 30-minute radius of
First round of funding released
In November 2006,
Eleven projects were being recommended for funding as projects with region-wide significance. One project was recommended for funding through a sub-grant from a California Fire Safe Council Block grant.
The remaining 37 projects are located in one of the six regions of the SNC. They range from a comprehensive interpretive plan for
The complete list of projects can be found here.
Performance reporting is a requirement for all projects after completion. In keeping with their innovative style, SNC staff suggests: Provide a description of the "wow" factor: is there anything about this project that gives you "goosebumps?"
If the many "Thank Yous" from applicants and the sustained applause after approval are any indication, the SNC is poised to enhance the "wow factor" of the Sierra significantly.
For more information about the Sierra Nevada Conservancy, go to sierranevada.ca.gov/.
Related article:
Experts Talk Turkey about Climate Change at Sierra Nevada Conservancy Symposium
http://www.yubanet.com/artman/publish/article_72172.shtml
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