The pair of giant water diversion tunnels proposed in the Delta could violate the federal Clean Water Act and increase harm to endangered fish species, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which released its formal comment on the project Thursday. In a 43-page letter sent Tuesday to the National Marine Fisheries Service and released publicly on the
A Fresno nonprofit linked to the largest agricultural water district in the country filed a federal lawsuit alleging San Francisco and other Bay Area communities are unfairly exempted from water cutbacks meant to protect endangered species. The Center for Environmental Science, Accuracy and Reliability alleges that freshwater diversions from the Tuolumne River are jeopardizing endangered
In what is believed to be a first, the Department of Water Resources and U.S. Bureau of Reclamation are asking the state board that oversees water rights to investigate water diversion practices by farmers in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. The two powerful water agencies say they suspect farmers are taking water released from upstream dams and intended for consumers in
Farmers use water to grow our food, a basic need. No water, no farming, no food. Farmers have been stewards of our natural resources for generations, and have provided jobs and commerce. Despite California’s extensive aqueduct system, the current drought has severely strained surface water supplies. As a result, groundwater is being pumped out at
In exchange for blocking flows, the government gave the Miller and Lux group, which was renamed the San Joaquin River Exchange Contractors, a guaranteed supply from the delta and, if that wasn't available, first dibs on the water held back by the dam. Jonas Minton, a water policy adviser for the Planning and Conservation League,
California voters will be asked to authorize $7.5 billion to bolster the state’s water supply, infrastructure and ecosystems in November, as lawmakers and Gov. Jerry Brown this week struck a long-sought deal to move a new water bond to the ballot. An extraordinary drought that has strained California’s water supply spurred a concerted push for a
A federal appeals court has delivered a big victory to a small water district in California’s parched San Joaquin Valley. Judges concluded that the government owes additional damages for the Bureau of Reclamation’s failure to deliver enough water to the Stockton-based Central San Joaquin Water Conservation District. Potentially, the district could collect millions of dollars. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/04/6604021/california-water-agency-wins-damage.html#mi_rss=Latest%20News
A cross-section of city and county officials, farming and business interests joined together Wednesday at Fresno City Hall to support a multibillion-dollar water bond that's nearly twice as large as what Gov. Jerry Brown wants. The governor this week pledged support for a $6 billion water bond for November's ballot -- but no more --
New groundwater data and policy resource released by Stanford University’s Water in the West program, a project of the Woods Institute for the Environment and Bill Lane Center for the American West. http://waterinthewest.stanford.edu
Major water districts in California are quietly considering using property taxes -- and possibly raising them without a vote of the public -- to help fund Gov. Jerry Brown's $25 billion plan to build two massive tunnels through the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. Most property tax hikes require a two-thirds vote, as required under California's