North Coast Regional News
AUGUST 2008
Conferences & Events
August 13 – 16: The California Society for Ecological Restoration 15th Annual Conference, "Restoration's Bigger Picture – Linking Local Restoration to Regional and Global Issues." Wells Fargo Center for the Arts, 50 Mark West Springs Rd., Santa Rosa. http://www.sercal.org/conference.htm
August 25: "Municipal NPDES Stormwater Workshop: Management Issues, Regulatory Trends, Program Challenges" is the topic of a special one day workshop hosted by NAFSMA. Meritage Resort, Napa.
http://www.nafsma.org/
August 25 – 28: The National Association of Flood & Stormwater Management Agencies 30th Anniversary Annual Meeting. The Meritage Resort, Napa.
http://www.nafsma.org/Meetings/08%20Brochure%20PDF.pdf
August 26: Ocean Protection Council Public Forum on Salmon. Agricultural Center, 5630 South Broadway, Eureka, 6:00 p.m.
http://resources.ca.gov/copc/meetings.html
August 29 - 30: Klamath Fishing Derby. A unique event which benefits your outdoor pursuits and preserves your fishing traditions. Redwood Rest, Terwer Riffle Road, Klamath
For Derby sign up call 707-482-0161
http://www.exploredelnorte.com/events/event-detail/index.aspx?eid=103
September 2: California State Water Resource Control Board - Board Meeting
10:00 a.m., Coastal Hearing Room – Second Floor, Joe Serna Jr./Cal/EPA Building, 1001 I Street, Sacramento
http://www.swrcb.ca.gov/board_info/agendas/2008/sep/0902_agenda.pdf
September 11: North Coast RWQCB Meeting. Regional Water Board Office
5550 Skylane Blvd, Suite A, Santa Rosa
http://www.swrcb.ca.gov/northcoast/board_info/board_meetings/
September 13: Forest Stewardship and Roads Workshop, Forest road risk assessment and management, Trinity County Weaverville Fire Hall, Weaverville, CA
http://groups.ucanr.org/Forest/2008_Forest_Stewardship_Workshops/September_13--Weaverville.htm
Sponsor: UCCE Forestry and CALFIRE’s Forest Stewardship Program
Contact: Sherry Cooper, 530-224-4902, slcooper@nature.berkeley.edu
For more information and the full 2008 Forestry Workshop & Lecture Series schedule, see
http://groups.ucanr.org/Forest/2008_Forest_Stewardship_Workshops/
September 13: Russian River Watershed Council, Russian River Fisheries - Past and Future.
Lake Sonoma
http://www.rrwc.net/
September 16: California State Water Resource Control Board - Board Hearing: Water Quality Control Plan for Enclosed Bays and Estuaries of California, Part 1, Sediment Quality Objectives
10:00 a.m., Coastal Hearing Room – Second Floor, Joe Serna Jr./Cal/EPA Building, 1001 I Street, Sacramento http://www.swrcb.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/bptcp/docs/sediment/notice_sqo.pdf
Sept 20 – 21: Migratory Bird Festival – Alturas. Celebrating the bird life in Modoc County. Veteran's Memorial Park/ Modoc National Wildlife Refuge, Alturas
Contact: 530-233-3572
http://www.shastacascade.org/showrecord.asp?id=2084
September 21: Russian Riverfest will be held in Forestville.
http://www.russianriverkeeper.org/join/RRFest2007.html
September 25: State Coastal Conservancy Board Meeting. Eureka
http://www.coastalconservancy.ca.gov/Meetings/meetings.htm
September 26 – 28: 11th Annual Coho Confab on the Smith River.
http://www.calsalmon.org/pdf/2008%20Confab%20art.pdf
http://www.treesfoundation.org
http://www.calsalmon.org
October 2 - 3: Water Education Foundation-Russian River Tour. This tour explores conflicting needs in the Russian River watershed including: flood management; adequate supplies for agricultural and urban areas; instream flows for fish; wastewater discharge and water quality; recreation needs; recycled water use and energy production. The tour begins and ends in Santa Rosa. http://www.watereducation.org/toursdetail.asp?id=843&parentID=821
October 4: Forest Stewardship Workshop – Forest ecosystems and creating defensible landscapes, Cazadero, Sonoma County
Sponsor: UCCE Forestry and CALFIRE’s Forest Stewardship Program
Contact: Sherry Cooper, 530-224-4902, slcooper@nature.berkeley.edu
Online registration at http://ucanr.org/foreststewardship or http://groups.ucanr.org/Forest/
October 18: Forest Stewardship Workshop – Economics of managing for a healthy forest, Healdsburg, Sonoma County
Sponsor: UCCE Forestry and CALFIRE’s Forest Stewardship Program
Contact: Sherry Cooper, 530-224-4902, slcooper@nature.berkeley.edu
Online registration at http://ucanr.org/foreststewardship or http://groups.ucanr.org/Forest/
October 23: North Coast RWQCB Meeting. Location To Be Determined
http://www.swrcb.ca.gov/northcoast/board_info/board_meetings/
October 28 – 30: Headwaters to Ocean (H2O) Conference in Long Beach. The Conference is seeking presentations relating to the coast, ocean, beaches, wetlands and watersheds through August 18th.
http://www.websurfer.us/coastal/h20_2008/call_presentations.htm
November 18: Workshops on Forest Carbon Credits: Practical Options and Opportunities. UCCE Forestry, 1851 Hartnell Avenue, Redding.
Contact: Sherry Cooper, 530-224-4902, slcooper@nature.berkeley.edu
Online registration at http://ucanr.org/foreststewardship or http://groups.ucanr.org/Forest/
December 11: North Coast RWQCB Meeting. Regional Water Board Office
5550 Skylane Blvd, Suite A, Santa Rosa
http://www.swrcb.ca.gov/northcoast/board_info/board_meetings/
Funding Opportunities
The Resources Agency River Parkway Grant Program and the Department of Water Resources Urban Streams Restoration Program are currently developing a combined grant application process funded by Proposition 84. The Urban Streams Restoration Program provides grants for a variety of activities, including the following: creek cleanups; eradication of exotic or invasive plants; revegetation efforts; bioengineering bank stabilization projects; channel reconfiguration to improve stream geomorphology and aquatic habitat functions; acquisition of parcels critical for flood management; and coordination of community involvement in projects. Draft guidelines are now available for public review and comment. Comments are due by 5:00pm on August 20, 2008.
Public Review Draft-Guidelines and Application
http://www.resources.ca.gov/bonds_docs/FINAL_DRAFT_7-25-2008.pdf
http://www.watershedrestoration.water.ca.gov/urbanstreams/
http://resources.ca.gov/bonds_riverparkways.html
West Coast Estuaries Initiative for the California Coast – deadline August 25.
http://www.epa.gov/region09/funding/west-coast-estuaries.html
The State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Financial Assistance is now accepting applications for the 2008 Nonpoint Source Implementation Grant Program to support projects throughout the State to restore impaired surface waters through the control of nonpoint source (NPS) pollution. Applicants must submit their application using the State Water Board's on-line Financial Assistance Application Submittal Tool (FAAST) at https://faast.waterboards.ca.gov/
Concept Applications are due by 5:00 pm on Thursday, October 16, 2008.
http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/grants_loans/319h/index.shtml
Homeowners and business owners who can’t afford the high cost of installing solar panels may get help from their local governments under AB 811, which allows cities and counties to offer low-interest financing to those who want to make energy improvements.
http://info.sen.ca.gov/pub/07-08/bill/asm/ab_0801-0850/ab_811_bill_20080721_chaptered.pdf
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/07/23/BAP411TF41.DTL
State Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Planning and Technical Assistance (PTA) Allocation FY 2008/09. http://www.hcd.ca.gov/fa/cdbg/funds/pta/PTA_2008_NOFA_ANNOUNCEMENT_final.pdf
The State Department of Housing and Community Development (Department) will make $1,000,000 available under the General PTA allocation and $1,000,000 under the ED PTA allocation. The PTA allocations provide funding in the form of grants to small cities and rural counties for planning and feasibility studies related to CDBG eligible activities and project-specific activities such as housing, public improvements, public facilities, and economic development. The Department is currently accepting applications and will accept applications continuously until April 2, 2009 or until all funds are awarded to eligible applicants. Applications will be reviewed and awarded on a first come first served basis. Interested applicants may download the NOFA and application document from the CDBG web site at http://www.hcd.ca.gov/ca/cdbg.
The SWRCB Agricultural Drainage Loan Program and Agricultural Drainage Management Loan Program are currently accepting applications. Applications are accepted on a continuous basis.
http://www.swrcb.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/grants_loans/agdrain/agdrain_loan.shtml
http://www.swrcb.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/grants_loans/agdrain/agdrain_mgmt.shtml
The SWRCB Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) Program is currently accepting applications. The CWSRF Loan Program provides low-interest loan funding for construction of publicly-owned wastewater treatment facilities, local sewers, sewer interceptors, water recycling facilities, as well as, expanded use projects such as implementation of nonpoint source (NPS) projects or programs, development and implementation of estuary Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plans, and storm water treatment. Applications are accepted on a continuous basis.
http://www.swrcb.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/grants_loans/srf/index.shtml
The SWRCB Water Recycling Funding Program is currently accepting applications. The mission of the Water Recycling Funding Program (WRFP) is to promote the beneficial use of treated municipal wastewater (water recycling) in order to augment fresh water supplies in California by providing technical and financial assistance to agencies and other stakeholders in support of water recycling projects and research.
http://www.swrcb.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/grants_loans/water_recycling/index.shtml
Draft Guidelines for the solicitation of Clean Beaches Initiative Proposition 84 grant funds will be completed in late summer and adopted in the fall of 2008. Project solicitation will commence immediately following the adoption of the Guidelines and continue until the funds are exhausted. To be notified of CBI program announcements, please sign up for the Beach Water Quality Grants email notification using the email list subscription form at http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/resources/email_subscriptions/swrcb_subscribe.shtml
Local News
Eel River Watershed Management Area (WMA)
The Rio Dell City Council approved two contracts to implement a long-planned wastewater improvement project.
http://www.times-standard.com/localnews/ci_9905939
Willits is investigating how the city can resolve its water supply shortage.
http://www.willitsnews.com/ci_9923900
Humboldt Bay WMA
The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors is slated to adopt plans, a budget and authorize an agreement with the federal government in early August to begin an erosion control project on the Mad River at the foot of McKinleyville's School Road.
http://www.times-standard.com/ci_10091211?IADID=Search-www.times-standard.com-www.times-standard.com
The City of Trinidad has been invited to submit final applications for water quality improvement projects. If approved for both projects, the city will receive $5 million for water quality improvement projects.
http://www.times-standard.com/localnews/ci_9957022
The Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District is scheduled to discuss prevention of Quagga mussels into Ruth Lake and the status of the “Drink Local Water” campaign.
http://eurekareporter.com/article/080706-drinking-water-to-highlight-meeting
Klamath WMA
The City of Montague Public Works Department released a notice to residents alerting them that the city’s drinking water has tested at high levels of total trihalomethanes.
http://www.siskiyoudaily.com/news/x469170061/Public-Works-Montague-water-contains-toxic-compound
Two Siskiyou County Supervisors went to Washington DC to lobby politicians against removing the dams on the Klamath River.
http://www.siskiyoudaily.com/news/x518446323/Supervisors-head-to-Washington-to-protest-Klamath-dams-removal
Hornbrook’s water facility was the site of recent vandalism.
http://www.siskiyoudaily.com/news/x390639307/Water-system-vandalized
The North Cost Regional Water Quality Control Board staff have completed a draft of the first two chapters and two supporting appendices for the Klamath River TMDL, which is scheduled to be approved by December 2010.
www.waterboards.ca.gov/northcoast/water_issues/programs/tmdls/klamath_river/
The Shasta River TMDL Action Plan became state law on Jan. 26, 2007, and established new requirements to improve stream habitat for salmon and steelhead trout.
http://www.siskiyoudaily.com/state_news/x1346898565/Landowners-in-Shasta-River-watershed-asked-to-submit-annual-reports
North Coast WMA
Recent water tests show that Crescent City water, which comes from the Smith River, is high quality with a minimal amount of pollutants.
http://www.triplicate.com/news/story.cfm?story_no=9362
Russian/Bodega WMA
For the second year in a row, the City of Ukiah is urging residents to voluntarily conserve water.
http://www.ukiahdailyjournal.com/ci_9967741
http://www.ukiahdailyjournal.com/ci_9967742?source=rss
http://www.ukiahdailyjournal.com/ci_9919304
Different requirements for wastewater treatment for the Russian River and Petaluma River are due to the different uses of the rivers.
http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20080724/NEWS/807240322
Water users asked to conserve. Communities and water districts seek voluntary cuts to avoid shortages. http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20080801/NEWS/808010320/1033/news&title=Time_to_conserve_water
A coalition of north Sonoma County grape growers and wineries has received a $270,000 federal grant to provide education and in-stream projects to protect steelhead and salmon.
http://www1.pressdemocrat.com/article/20080630/NEWS/806300308
Even with grape growers turning on wells to cool their vineyards, Sonoma County’s water usage remains below last year’s level.
http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20080710/NEWS/807100337/1033&title=Growers_tap_river_wells_to_cool_vineyards
Grape growers in Dry Creek and Anderson Valleys have proposed water and habitat management on a watershed-by-watershed basis rather than the current project-by-project model to facilitate approval of applications to access needed water.
http://www.northbaybusinessjournal.com/article/20080728/BUSINESSJOURNAL/637865748/1207/BUSINESSJOURNAL02
Sonoma County Water Agency launches $3 million project to clear debris, silt and vegetation from 30 Sonoma County creeks to lessen the chance of winter flooding and cultivate habitat for wildlife.
http://www1.pressdemocrat.com/article/20080703/NEWS/807030323
The lack of precipitation for the past four months has left Lake Mendocino with too little water for the fall salmon run, causing conservation measures to be called for. Additionally, the lack of rain has left vegetation moisture at extremely low levels, making the danger of wildfires very great.
http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20080630/NEWS/806300305
http://www.ukiahdailyjournal.com/ci_10029788?source=most_viewed
Mendocino County Supervisors approved spending nearly $100,000 to assess the Ukiah Valley water supply to inform development of the Ukiah Valley Area Plan.
http://www.willitsnews.com/ci_10044331
The City of Santa Rosa has drastically reduced effluent discharge to the Russian River.
http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20080724/NEWS/807240320/1033&title=City_cleans_up_its_act_on_Russian_River_
Even farmers who used treated wastewater for irrigation are facing reductions in supply due to conservation measures and diversion to The Geysers steam fields.
http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20080722/NEWS/807220312/-1/frontpage&title=Irrigation_water_expected_to_be_gone_by_August
The Sonoma County Water Agency is investigating an experimental vineyard-cooling project under way at Beaulieu Vineyard in Napa.
http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20080713/NEWS07/807130356/1036/NEWS07&title=Officials_gauge_misting_systems__falling_river_levels
Healdsburg is implementing a new method for calculating household wastewater use, which should result in lower sewer rates for most customers.
http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20080708/NEWS/541531025/1350&title=Healdsburg_sewer_rates_to_drop
http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20080709/NEWS/807090309/-1/archive&title=Healdsburg_sewer_plan_rewards_conservation_
A property owner north of Sebastopol may face regulatory enforcement for beginning to clear a drainage ditch leading to Atascadero Creek.
http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20080707/NEWS/807070309/1350/FRONTPAGE&title=Neighbors_see_wetland_threat_in_ditch_work
Petaluma and Rohnert Park will have measures on the ballot in November about whether to roll back sewer rates.
http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20080707/NEWS/807070303/1350/FRONTPAGE&title=Petaluma__RP_sewer_rates_create_backlash
Windsor Town Council members are having second thoughts about connecting into a pipeline that send wastewater up to The Geysers geothermal field.
http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20080703/NEWS/683006009/1350&title=Windsor_suddenly_cool_to_Geysers_wastewater_plan
Regional – State – National
Agency & Institution Activities and Programs
The 2008 – 2009 Freshwater & Ocean Fishing Supplement has been posted to the CDFG web site. Regulations in this supplement supersede regulations listed earlier this year.
www.dfg.ca.gov/marine/sportfishing_regs2008.asp
The Ninth US Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco dismissed a lawsuit filed by California, 15 other states and five environmental groups over the EPA’s refusal to let states enforce their own limits on greenhouse gas fumes from new cars and trucks.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/07/25/BA2111VLHU.DTL&tsp=1
The draft Regional Reports for the 2009 California Water Plan Update are available. The Department of Water Resources seeks input on the drafts by August 1.
http://www.waterplan.water.ca.gov/regions/index.cfm
On July 28th, CDFG announced that the commercial fishery for greenlings (genus Hexagrammos) will close on Monday, August 18th at 12:01 AM. The recreational fishery will remain open.
http://www.dfg.ca.gov/news/
California Air Resources Board approved regulations requiring domestic and foreign cargo ships, tankers and cruise vessels sailing in California waters to use cleaner fuel to power their engines and boilers.
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/california/la-me-pollution25-2008jul25,0,7787427.story
The State Water Board is considering amending the Policy for Implementing the Clean Water State Revolving Fund for Construction of Wastewater Treatment Facilities and is seeking public comment on proposed amendments by Thursday, August 21.
http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/grants_loans/srf
The State Water Resources Control Board adopted Resolution No. 2008-0048, which promotes strategies to assist small and/or disadvantaged communities with wastewater needs.
http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/grants_loans/small_community_wastewater_grant/strategy.shtml
The US EPA is now accepting nominations for the 2008 Water Efficiency Leader Awards through August 29, 2008.
http://www.epa.gov/water/wel/2008_application_process.html
The Statewide Watershed Program has summarized input received from its public outreach campaign.
http://www.conservation.ca.gov/dlrp/wp/Pages/Index.aspx
Climate Change
The US EPA released its finding that greenhouse gas emissions endanger human health.
http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSN14464228
Changes to ocean chemistry caused by the absorption of excess atmospheric carbon dioxide are threatening ocean life.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/07/03/BA9011IG0Q.DTL&tsp=1
California has experienced 2,000 fires in 2008 and climate scientists predict that this number will increase as temperatures rise.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/07/21/MNSC11Q7RD.DTL
Desalination
Nanotechnology may decrease energy costs for desalination.
http://www.foresight.org/nanodot/?p=2783
Fisheries
Dam removal may be important to rehabilitating native fish populations such as salmonids according to research conducted on the Colorado River.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080709204836.htm
The 2007-2008 California Dungeness crab fishing season was the fifth poorest, in terms of production, in the past 20 years.
http://www.times-standard.com/ci_10091238?IADID=Search-www.times-standard.com-www.times-standard.com
Assemblyman Jared Huffman was named to the top fisheries post in the state Assembly this week and called for reforms including an overhaul of CDFG.
http://www.marinij.com/sports/ci_9842028
The Bush administration has put forth a proposal that would allow fish farms to operate for the first time in federal waters off the nation’s coasts. Environmental groups oppose the proposal.
http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2008/jul/10/proposal-lets-fish-farms-operate-in-us-waters/
Green Business
California’s big electrical utilities may miss the state’s deadline for increasing their use of renewable power if Congress does not extend tax credits for new wind and solar plants.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/07/11/BUQH11O0RF.DTL
The solar power industry, both in California and worldwide, is growing fast, but needs to focus on price.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/07/16/BUII11PLV8.DTL&feed=rss.business
More and more businesses are considering becoming “green” to boost revenues; this article outlines steps for a business owner to consider.
http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20080728/BUSINESSJOURNAL/956671514/1209
The Victoria Homeowners Association in Petaluma is using sheep for natural weed abatement.
http://www1.arguscourier.com/article/20080731/NEWS01/817544192
California issued new building standards which would push developers to reduce the energy use of buildings by 15% and target a 50% reduction in water for landscaping. The code changes will initially be voluntary but will become mandatory in 2010.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-building18-2008jul18,0,2240874.story
Venture investments in clean technology are up nearly 60% from a year ago.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/07/07/BUBA11L453.DTL
Colleges and universities are among the leaders in planning and implementing green building.
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/california/la-me-ecocollege7-2008jul07,0,194449.story
Legislation
The addition of climate change impacts to CEQA permitting may lead to more lawsuits, and until state guidelines are adopted, leave planners and agencies uncertain how to proceed.
http://www.northbaybusinessjournal.com/article/20080714/BUSINESSJOURNAL/588823600/1209
A coalition of environmental and fishery groups filed an emergency petition with the California Board of Forestry (BOF), urging the board to adopt regulations to protect coho salmon from logging practices that damage habitat.
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2008/07/16/18516663.php
Senator Feinstein is urging federal agencies to take a stronger role in the fight against quagga mussels.
http://www.pe.com/localnews/inland/stories/PE_News_Local_E_quaggas25.488e191.html
Members of the California Assembly and Legislature are proposing advancing bills already before lawmakers and spending existing bond funds instead of focusing energies on promoting the Feinstein-Schwarzenegger new water bond.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUKN1445390120080714
Governor Schwarzenegger and Senator Feinstein proposed a $9.2 billion water bond for the November, 2008 ballots.
http://www.californiaprogressreport.com/2008/07/schwarzenegger_77.html
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/07/11/MNCI11N4GF.DTL
President Bush lifted a long-standing White House ban on new oil and gas drilling off the nation’s coastlines and asked Congress to do the same in apparent response to high gasoline prices.
http://www.latimes.com/news/science/environment/la-na-drilling15-2008jul15,0,7920845.story?track=rss
West Marin ranchers in the Tomales Bay watershed are the first in the state to be required to develop “ranch plans” by November 2009 to inform state regulators how they intend to keep manure from washing into Tomales Bay.
http://www.marinij.com/westmarin/ci_9821293
The US EPA has released it first rules on carbon dioxide storage.
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gB7pLTmnieusGMeeLAMMG2xWBSHQD91UF0700
Ocean
West coast governors oppose any new offshore oil drilling.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-ocean30-2008jul30,0,2667305.story
Salicornia, which grows in saline water, is being touted by one physicist as an answer to food supply, fuel supply, and potable water shortages.
http://www.latimes.com/news/science/environment/la-fi-seafarm10-2008jul10,0,7364335.story?page=1
As gasoline prices rise, the debate about offshore drilling heats up.
http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/energy/2008-07-13-offshore-drilling_N.htm
Water Quality
Over 1,750 professionals signed a statement urging US Congress to stop water fluoridation until hearings are conducted, citing new scientific eveidence that fluoridation is ineffective and has serious health risks.
http://folsomtelegraph.com/detail/89323.html
California biochemists have developed a procedure to add coenzyme Q10 to drinking water in an attempt to boost human longevity.
http://io9.com/5030684/theyre-putting-anti+aging-enzymes-in-the-water
Water Supply
Experimental vineyard-cooling misting systems may reduce the amount of water that grape growers draw from the Russian River watershed during critical summer months.
http://www1.pressdemocrat.com/article/20080713/NEWS07/807130356
The drought and water supply problems in California are severe and likely to worsen without an increase in precipitation and/or action to alleviate the situation.
http://www.cfbf.com/agalert/AgAlertStory.cfm?ID=1105&ck=AF21D0C97DB2E27E13572CBF59EB343D
Some people are collecting water in rain tanks and barrels and turning to gray water to irrigate through the warm summer months.
http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20080712/LIFESTYLE/807120304/1314/lifestyle04&title=Making_every_drop_of_water_count
Agriculture is likely to change drastically in the face of drought and the changing climate – DWR estimates agricultural land will decrease by 10% and farmers are rethinking which crops to grow.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/sfgate/detail?blogid=50&entry_id=28259
California’s water levels will end this year lower than they’ve been in 30 years and another dry winter is forecast.
http://www.usatoday.com/weather/drought/2008-07-22-california-water-shortage_N.htm
http://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_9953754
The limited water supply in California is leading to renewed interest in “grey water” irrigation systems.
http://www.insidebayarea.com/ci_9863987
Safflower has become a popular replacement crop for water-intensive crops like tomatoes, cotton, and corn in the face of limited water supply.
http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_9754937?nclick_check=1
In response to limited irrigation water availability, farmers are turning to improvements in irrigation technology.
http://www.cfbf.com/agalert/AgAlertStory.cfm?ID=1087&ck=A26398DCA6F47B49876CBAFFBC9954F9
Media
Autodesk recently launched a tool for product design that enables the selection of materials that will have the least adverse impact on the environment.
http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20080714/BUSINESSJOURNAL/336425224/1206/BUSINESS0110&title=Autodesk_launches_sustainability_tool_for_design
Greening America’s Schools Costs and Benefits by Gregory Kats has been released. Sponsoring organizations include: American Federation of Teachers, American Institute of Architects, American Lung Association, Federation of American Scientists, and US Green Building Council.
http://www.cap-e.com/ewebeditpro/items/O59F9819.pdf
UC Davis graduate students have created a water resources website.
http://www.californiaaggie.com/article/1178
A new book examines the rise of bottled water consumption in the United States.
http://www.mercurynews.com/books/ci_9999514
California’s Ocean Protection Council staff released “An Implementation Strategy for the California Ocean Protection Council Resolution to Reduce and Prevent Ocean Litter.”
http://www.californiaprogressreport.com/2008/07/an_implementati.html
The Environmental Defense Fund has released a report entitled “Finding the Balance: A Vision for Water Supply and Environmental Reliability in California.”
http://www.californiaprogressreport.com/2008/07/finding_the_bal.html
USDA has released its final report ”The effects of climate change on agriculture, land resources, water resources, and biodiversity in the United States.”
http://www.climatescience.gov/Library/sap/sap4-3/final-report/default.htm
DWR has released a new water resources data management tool called the Integrated Water Resources Information System (IWRIS).
www.iwris.water.ca.gov
A UC Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources guide for planners about conserving fish habitat in the developed landscape entitled “Living among the Fish” is available online.
http://anrcatalog.ucdavis.edu/pdf/8279.pdf
H2O Conserve has developed a website with a water footprint calculator. The site gives tips for water conservation.
http://www.h2oconserve.org/home.php?pd=index
