Delta flow criteria analysis, Farm Bureau weighs in, and LA Times on Water Bond

Here’s more on the State Water Resource Control Board’s (SWRCB) Delta Flow Criteria Report.

State Board Adopts Delta Flow Criteria, an analysis posted on Kronick Moskovitz Tiedemann & Girard’s website at http://www.kmtg.com.

August 10, 2010
“The State Water Resources Control Board (State Board) on August 3, 2010, adopted Delta flow criteria pursuant to the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta Reform Act that was passed in late 2009.

The final flow criteria were unchanged from draft criteria that the State Board released for public comment on July 21, 2010. The final criteria appear in a Flow Report (Report) featuring both increased Delta outflow and increased inflow from the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers, including their tributaries:

  • 75% of unimpaired Delta outflow from January through June;
  • 75% of unimpaired Sacramento River inflow from November through June; and
  • 60% of unimpaired San Joaquin River inflow from February through June 
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    Cry for ESA reform goes “legitimate”: Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation joins in

    The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF), a group with 158,000-members that has protected or improved 5.7 million acres of wildlife habitat has broken with conservation organizations and animal rights groups (including Defenders of Wildlife and Western Wildlife Conservancy) over a court ruling to continue protection for the gray wolf to the detriment of the elk population.

    This is good news for those who are tired of being labeled extremists for seeking balance between the natural and human environments. It’s surprising news too, given that RMEF didn’t oppose the reintroduction of wolves and is generally on the same side as pro-wolf groups.

    But as rural communities have known for years, the ESA needs fixing: balance is non-existent and common sense has gone missing. In this case it’s not humans vs. fish though, it’s species vs. species. Wolves win, elk don’t matter.

    Why is that? Conservation groups in general adhere to Conservation Biology theory and wolves are major actors in its overarching vision: large migrating carnivorous populations of wolves, grizzly bears, and mountain lions are reestablished to slow extinctions and save the earth.  Conservationists in national, state, and local environmental groups have bought into it lock, stock, and barrel.

    As they bring pressure to bear on politicians and bureaucrats, we see increasingly restrictive laws enacted and access to public lands for multiple uses disappearing. Believe it or not, Conservation Biology is driving many environmental decisions in the United States these days.

    A very simplistic explanation of Conservation Biology theory is that there are too many people, too much habitat disturbance and fragmentation (habitats aren’t connected for migration), and as a result the whole system is out of whack. We are in the midst of a major extinction period that didn’t have to happen. If we limit peoples’ activities by “protecting” public and private lands and bring back the carnivores – “rewild America” – it will modify the behavior of prey species, shift consumption dynamics all the way down the food chain, and restore equilibrium to the system.

    It may sound nutty, but it’s mainstream thought these days in the environmental community. More about that another day… If you want to read up on it, Conservation Biology by Michael Soule and Rewilding North America by EarthFirst founder David Foreman are good introductions. In addition, Google “conservation biology”, “rewilding”, and “The Wildlands Network” for more info.

      Here’s the press release issued by The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.

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    Update on Tuolumne Parking & Alleyway Study

    It’s been quite some time since the initial public meeting in the Memorial Hall in Tuolumne (last winter) when Community Development Department, Public Works, and the County Administrator’s Office staff took input from residents on the Parking & Alleyway Study.

    Since then, county staff has been pretty preoccupied trying to adjust to the ever-shrinking revenue stream and take their best shot at predicting how a yet-to-be-approved state budget will impact us. That’s still up in the air… Meanwhile, consultants have kept on working.

    Late last week, Bev Shane, Director of the Community Development Department, said she plans to release the draft study for public review in early September and conduct a public meeting in conjunction with the Tuolumne Design Review/Planning Advisory Committee’s regular meeting on Thursday, September 23rd

    Comments from the public will be incorporated into the final study which has been tentatively scheduled for consideration by the Board of Supervisors on November 2nd.

    So things are moving ahead… slowly, but surely. I’ll post a link to a copy of the draft when it’s available and let you know about public meetings scheduled.

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    SWRCB adopts Delta flow criteria report, spin-cycle continues

    The State Water Resource Control Board (SWRCB) Tuesday adopted a draft flow criteria report, leading some to herald its adoption as comprehensive and long overdue even as at least one Board member denied it’s more than a preliminary review.

    Under legislation passed a year ago, the SWRCB was required to prepare the report within a year of passage of the Delta bills – too fast for a thorough study, say some. The report adopted was seen as scientific vindication by some environmental groups opposed to building an alternative conveyance facility (Peripheral Canal). It was received by others as incomplete and skewed due to its limited scope in only considering habitat and water quality needs.

    Before adopting the report, the Board deleted an appendix that indicated draconian reductions by state and federal water contractors and upstream water users would be necessary for water quality and habitat in the Delta. The appendix was said to be too hastily assembled for adoption. Further studies will follow to determine proposed reductions.

    What do you bet that the report will be heavily relied upon by folks advocating for more water to go through the Delta and provide additional fodder for the spin cycle? It can’t be a good thing for us in watersheds of origin, I’m thinking…

    Read about it here:

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