Congress sends major California water policy to President Obama, despite Sen. Barbara Boxer’s objections

“Over Sen. Barbara Boxer’s objections, the Senate voted 78 to 21 Friday evening to pass sweeping water infrastructure legislation that changes how much water is pumped from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to San Joaquin Valley farmers and Southern California. The bill — co-authored by Boxer — authorizes hundreds of water projects across the country, including new infrastructure to fix lead issues in Flint, Mich., and and millions of dollars... Read More

Feinstein’s “Poison Pill” for Salmon and Smelt

Senator Feinstein has added a rider to the Drought Water Bill that has been referred to as a “poison pill” for endangered salmon and smelt. Senator Boxer has vowed to fight passage of the Water Bill because of Feinstein’s “poison pill” rider. Senator Feinstein has claimed that the rider is a compromise to get support for the overall water bill that includes provisions to enhance California’s water supply infrastructure. Read Entire Article... Read More

Watershed Protection is theme for sanitary district’s 2017 calendar

Students fill calendar with art, learn science of water treatment Students from the fourth, fifth and sixth grades at San Andreas Elementary School provided calendar art and participated in water treatment science in mid-November as part of a second yearly watershed protection calendar project supported by the San Andreas Sanitary District. Read Entire Article Here   Read More

PG&E to pay out at least $350 million in Butte Fire claims

Attorneys for the plaintiffs and the defendants said in a joint case management statement filed Nov. 18 that 53 households including 98 plaintiffs and a total of 123 individuals (some of whom were not named plaintiffs) have settled their claims. Read Full Article Here – Calaveras Enterprise  Read More

Mountain Oaks students take on Forestry Challenge

Kids learn coastal redwood forest ecology and management An academic event for high school students in technical forestry, the Forestry Challenge is a statewide program started in 2003 in which students learn about ecology and forest management that provide communities with water, recreation, wood products and wildlife habitat. Read Full Article Here – Calaveras Enterprise    Read More

Obama Administration Asked to Kill Delta Tunnels Plan

From Restore the Delta: On Monday, a coalition of California fishing, conservation, and public interest groups sent a letter to the Obama Administration today explaining why the Delta Tunnels (California WaterFix) proposal should be terminated before the end of President Obama’s Administration. Read full letter here  Read More

PLF launches campaign to save California wildlife from feds’ water cutoffs

From the Pacific Legal Foundation: “Stop Starving Farms and Wildlife” is the theme of a public information campaign that Pacific Legal Foundation launched today, to highlight how federally decreed water reductions in the San Joaquin Valley are victimizing federally protected species. Read in Mavens Notebook  Read More

Save the salmon; Protect the ecosystem

WE NEED YOU! AT DELTA FLOWS HEARINGS   The State Water Board is currently taking comments on the Plan Update. We need your help in two ways: 1FSend an e-mail to the Water Board urging board members to listen to the science and set flows at the 50-60% level required to fully save the salmon and protect the ecosystem. Comments can be e-mailed to commentletters@waterboards.ca.gov with the subject line, “Comment Letter – 2016 Bay-Delta Plan Amendment... Read More

102 million dead California trees ‘unprecedented in our modern history

“The number of dead trees in California’s drought-stricken forests has risen dramatically to more than 102 million in what officials described as an unparalleled ecological disaster that heightens the danger of massive wildfires and damaging erosion.  Officials said they were alarmed by the increase in dead trees, which they estimated to have risen by 36 million since the government’s last survey in May. The U.S. Forest Service, which performs... Read More

CPUD to sell water for Bay Area project

Critics concerned about impact on future Calaveras customers The Calaveras Planning Coalition, a citizen’s advocacy group, circulated a letter to the various parties involved with the deal expressing concerns that Calaveras residents were left in the dark on the decision to sell the water. In his letter, Tom Infusino, facilitator for the coalition, said the environmental impact report for the development downplays local concerns of selling water... Read More