[Water_news] 5. DWR'S CALIFORNIA WATER NEWS: AGENCIES, PROGRAMS, PEOPLE - 4/23/09

 

Department of Water Resources

California Water News

A daily compilation of significant news articles and comment

 

April 23, 2009

 

5. Agencies, Programs, People –

 

Drought politics heat up in California and on Capitol Hill

McClatchy Newspapers

 

Xeriscaper: Visalia resident Curtis Wilson replaces lawn with native California drought-resistant plants

The Visalia Times-Delta

 

Gallo faces fine for vineyard reservoir

The Santa Rosa Press-Democrat

 

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Drought politics heat up in California and on Capitol Hill

McClatchy Newspapers- 4/23/09

By Rob Hotakainen

 

WASHINGTON -- As the politics of water grow more intense on Capitol Hill, Republican Rep. Tom McClintock is skeptical that there's a shortage in California, even though the governor has declared a drought emergency.

 

"Don't forget we have the most water-rich region in the state," said McClintock, a newcomer on the House Natural Resources Committee, who represents California's 4th Congressional District. "And yet our communities are in ... drought alerts, not because of a shortage of water, but because of water that the environmental regulations allow us to use."

 

It is becoming a common refrain for some Republicans in Washington: California's drought is manmade and could be resolved easily if government focused more on people, less on smelt.

 

Republican Rep. Wally Herger of California's 2nd District called it a "regulatory drought" that has been intensified by the Endangered Species Act.

 

And Republican Rep. George Radanovich of California's 19th District assailed "the draconian regulations that turn simple fish into the worshipful gods of the environmental community" while ignoring the rights of people.

 

"We need the government to protect the safety and happiness of people, not fish," he said.

 

As Congress considers whether to ease federal pumping restrictions in response to California's situation, there are signs that patience is wearing thin.

 

On Friday, Republican Rep. Devin Nunes of Visalia went so far as to call for Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's resignation.

 

"When a government can't provide the people access to a reliable source of water, it has failed," said Nunes. "This government has utterly failed and Governor Schwarzenegger should resign from office."

 

Lester Snow, director of California's Department of Water Resources and a Schwarzenegger appointee, called Nunes' statement "ridiculous" and said such talk "come from people who have not been helpful" in responding to the state's water crisis.

 

"Instead of people throwing darts or making statements, we need help," Snow said. "And that's what we expect from Congress, and that's what we expect from the new administration."

 

On Tuesday, the state launched a "Save our Water" public education program (you can read about it at www.saveourH2O.org), and the governor urged all Californians to participate.

 

"With a drought, court-ordered water restrictions and an increasing population, the time for action is now," Schwarzenegger said. "Making sure Californians have the water we need to keep our economy strong and our people working has never been more critical. This is what the 'Save our Water' campaign is all about, and I encourage all Californians to be a part of the solution."

 

Among the ideas: Every California household should save 20 gallons of water a day for 20 days as a way to respond to the state's drought emergency. Suggestions include filling your bathtub halfway or less, turning off the water when brushing your teeth, reducing lawn watering and running the dishwasher only when it's full.

 

"We're at a point in California where saving water helps save jobs," Snow said.

 

McClintock is not impressed with the state's approach.

 

"The great leaders of the past recognized that government's responsibility was to produce an abundance of water," he said. "There's only so much that people can cut back before it begins to have a dramatic impact on our economy, starting with agriculture. ... These are ways to manage a shortage that has been artificially created by government regulation and obstruction of new water projects."

 

"We've done this to ourselves," McClintock added. "It's not a lack of water. It's a lack of resolve."

 

McClintock called for a "top-to-bottom review" of all environmental regulations that he said are now consuming half of the state's water supply. And he said that easing federal pumping restrictions is "absolutely essential," adding: "The question comes down to a very simple choice between people and fish."

 

Many Democrats in Congress say they would oppose efforts to ease pumping restrictions.

 

"Easing up on the pump restrictions at this point would only speed the rate at which the Delta is failing," said Democratic Rep. Doris Matsui of Sacramento. "Why would we do that?"

 

Democratic Rep. Mike Thompson of California's First District said he understands the frustration of farmers who are facing tough times because of drought conditions. But he said easing the pumping restrictions wouldn't make sense.

 

"For the last three years, fishing families in my district and up and down the states of California and Oregon have faced similar problems because the salmon fishing seasons have been canceled due to drought and poor water management," he said. "If you ease federal pump restrictions, you will conversely place additional hardship on the fishing and farming families of California and Oregon. Before we start changing the plumbing of the Delta, we need to make sure there's a strong management strategy in place so there's a clear path forward."

 

One thing that would help California, Snow said, is more money from Washington.

 

The Obama administration already is promising to send $260 million in stimulus funds to California to help alleviate the drought.#

 

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/homepage/story/66677.html

 

Xeriscaper: Visalia resident Curtis Wilson replaces lawn with native California drought-resistant plants

The Visalia Times-Delta – 4/23/09

By Hillary S. Meeks

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When some people first glance at Curtis Wilson's lawn, they ask him why he's growing weeds.

 

But a closer look reveals that both his front and back lawn have a haphazard design to them that incorporates many native plants and grasses, as well as other flora that is suitable for a Mediterranean climate.

 

"I tried having lush gardens that were water intensive, and I had delicate plants but the heat just destroyed them," he said. "I got tired of it."

 

This type of landscape is called xeriscaping, said Nathan Garza, natural resource conservation technician for the city of Visalia. He said it is one thing the city is encouraging people to do this Earth Day — or any time of the year — in order to save water.

 

Wilson removed all the grass in his yard, laid down newspaper as a weed barrier and then covered it in mulch before planting hardy bushes such as dusty miller and rosemary.

 

Bright yellow, red and orange poppies sprang up from needle grass in mid-April, making Wilson's yard look like the Sierra foothills.

 

In fact, the foothills and chaparral were his inspiration to radically change his yard. Some of the transformation has been as easy as letting plants that spring up grow instead of calling them weeds —such as the dandelions that he says he likes.

 

He also took an extra step to get some of the hard-to-acquire native plants from a Intermountain Nursery in Prather, which is about 75 miles north from Visalia. Besides the trouble to get the plants, he said it's not nearly as much work as his previous yard.

 

"I sold the mower and edger, and if I see weeds or plants I don't like, I'll pull them out," Wilson said. "If you have tough plants, you don't have to water as much. If you don't water as much, you get fewer weeds."

 

His role is one of a grazer, he said. He simply removes invasive species to protect the plants growing. He acknowledges it will be some hefty work to cut down the grasses and poppies once they die, but that's a once-a-year event.

 

Wilson read several books to learn how to create the wild landscape, and the whole thing has been something of an experiment.

 

"The lawn was boring, and this is more interesting. I wanted to see if it could be more sustainable," he said.

 

He waters once a week now, and knows he's using much less water these days, even if his bill doesn't reflect it because of a flat rate.

 

Wilson said he appreciates knowing that he's doing something that's good for the environment, but mostly he likes the yard because he enjoys seeing what will pop up next.#

 

http://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/article/20090423/LIFESTYLE/904230331

 

Gallo faces fine for vineyard reservoir

The Santa Rosa Press-Democrat – 4/22/09

By Guy Kovner

 

E&J Gallo faces a $73,000 fine for illegal diversion of Russian River water into an eight-acre vineyard reservoir near Healdsburg, according to a state water board complaint.

 

Gallo, the Modesto-based company that is the nation’s largest winery, can pay the fine proposed by the State Water Resources Control Board or dispute it in a hearing, a step that would risk increasing the penalty to more than $500,000.

 

The water board’s complaint, posted online Wednesday, claims that Gallo lacked the authority to pump river water into the reservoir located off Westside Road.

 

For at least three years, Gallo used the water for frost protection and irrigation of a 395-acre vineyard, the complaint said.

Gallo’s action reduced the amount of water available to downstream water right holders and may have contributed to reduced habitat for steelhead trout, an endangered species, the complaint said.

 

Gallo did not have an immediate response to the complaint.

 

The complaint against Gallo stemmed from an investigation launched in 2005 into illegal water diversions within the Russian River watershed, said William L. Rukeyser, a water board spokesman.

 

Numerous informal allegations of illegal reservoirs in the watershed have been made over the years, he said.

 

The agency is still looking into the matter, but Rukeyser said he could not comment on whether any other complaints will be forthcoming.

 

Gallo saved about $16,000 a year, the complaint said, by tapping the allegedly illegal reservoir instead of buying water or paying annual water right fees. The 45-foot deep reservoir held an estimated 250 acre-feet of water, enough to supply 1,000 people for one year, the complaint said.

 

Based on three years of unauthorized water use, Gallo could be fined a maximum of $500 a day or $547,500, the complaint said.

 

Water board staff proposed a fine of $73,000, amounting to less than $67 a day, Rukeyser said.

 

If Gallo chooses to dispute the penalty, it can request a hearing before the five-member state water board, which could impose the maximum fine, he said.

 

The complaint named Gallo Glass Co., a Gallo subsidiary that Rukeyser said was listed as owner of the vineyard in question.#

 

http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20090422/articles/904229856

 

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