[Water_news] 1. DWR'S CALIFORNIA WATER NEWS - TopItemsfor6/26/09

 

 

Department of Water Resources

California Water News

A daily compilation for DWR personnel of significant news articles and comment

 

June 26, 2009

 

 

Top Items–

 

State declares longfin smelt a threatened species

Sacramento Bee

 

Valley lawmakers can't block water legislation

Fresno Bee

 

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State declares longfin smelt a threatened species

Sacramento Bee – 6/26/09

By Matt Weiser

 

The longfin smelt today was declared a threatened species in California, officially adding another imperiled fish to the long list of problems affecting the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.

The California Fish and Game Commission in March declared there was enough evidence to protect the longfin under the state Endangered Species Act. That kicked off a review period, which concluded today with a formal vote by the commission to list the fish as threatened.

"It disappoints me for the conflict that it will create," Commissioner Daniel Richards said after the unanimous vote in Woodland. "It speaks to the failure of our state government that this has occurred."

The 5-inch longfin -- similar to its cousin, the Delta smelt -- is sensitive to water quality in the Delta that has been altered by urbanization, farming and water diversions. It has been in steep decline since 2000 as problems in the Delta have multiplied.

Today's action did not bring new Delta water restrictions. To protect the longfin, the Commission in March imposed water pumping limits, similar to those already in place to protect the Delta smelt, which will remain in effect.

State and federal officials are working on a Delta habitat conservation plan to protect the longfin and other species, which is expected in draft form by the end of the year.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in April declined to list the longfin under the federal Endangered Species Act, saying there isn't enough evidence the California population is distinct from others on the West Coast.

http://www.sacbee.com/ourregion/story/1977778.html?mi_rss=Our%2520Region

 

 

Valley lawmakers can't block water legislation

Fresno Bee – 6/26/09

By Michael Doyle

 

WASHINGTON — San Joaquin Valley lawmakers have failed again in their effort to block the environmental rules steering irrigation water toward the protection of endangered species.

With Interior Secretary Ken Salazar now planning a Fresno town hall meeting for Sunday, a powerful House panel decided to quietly bury the controversial San Joaquin Valley amendment. Unlike a similar effort last week, this latest amendment never reached the House floor.

The proposed amendment to a $32 billion Interior Department funding bill would have blocked spending on two so-called “biological opinions” governing crucial California water flow. These biological opinions amount to federal water management rules that protect the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta and species including salmon and the delta smelt.

“For the San Joaquin Valley, the majority in this House has chosen fish over working families,” Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Visalia, declared Thursday.

Last week, Nunes won permission from the House Rules Committee to offer a similar amendment to a Commerce Department spending bill. The amendment failed by a closer-than-expected 208-218 margin, with 37 Democrats supporting it.

Around 8 p.m. Wednesday night, Nunes returned to the rules panel and sought permission to offer a new version of his San Joaquin Valley water amendment. The rules committee serves as the gatekeeper to the House floor.

“For the San Joaquin Valley, the majority in this House has chosen fish over working families,” Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Visalia, declared Thursday.

Last week, Nunes won permission from the House Rules Committee to offer a similar amendment to a Commerce Department spending bill. The amendment failed by a closer-than-expected 208-218 margin, with 37 Democrats supporting it.

Around 8 p.m. Wednesday night, Nunes returned to the rules panel and sought permission to offer a new version of his San Joaquin Valley water amendment. The rules committee serves as the gatekeeper to the House floor.

Lawmakers submitted more than 100 potential Interior Department amendments for consideration, some targeting specific earmarks and some intended primarily as symbolic statements. The rules committee permitted only about a dozen of the proposed amendments to be offered.

One Democrat on the rules committee, Rep. Dennis Cardoza of Merced, noted during discussion that a positive development on the water front is Salazar’s visit to Fresno for the town hall meeting on drought. The meeting is from 2:30 to 4 p.m. Sunday, although a location has yet to be announced. Another Democrat wondered why an amendment should be brought back if it had failed once before.

The committee ultimately voted 8-4 to block Nunes from offering his amendment on the House floor, with Cardoza the only Democrat to side with Nunes.

Now, Nunes is preparing to try again with a related amendment to yet another Fiscal 2010 spending bill, covering energy and water projects. Similar amendments will be offered whenever possible, Nunes says.

“It’s the only way we can call attention to the problem,” said Andrew House, Nunes’ spokesman.

http://www.fresnobee.com/local/story/1497518.html

 

 

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