CALFED: New Peripheral canal/ecosystem eye opener

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yzer

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CALFED is in the process of offering two science workshops on the topics of California Delta water exports and ecosystem effects.

The first workshop was offered on August 22. A second workshop will be held on September 11, 2007.

The workshops are recorded on video and webcast live. If you cannot attend, I'll give you the links below.

Workshop dates and times:
http://science.calwater.ca.gov/pdf/workshops/SP_workshop_dci_public_notice_081007.pdf

If you have an hour and a half to watch some fascinating presentations on the topic of water exports and ecosystems: watch the first 90 minutes of this August 22 CALFED Workshop. It's a lot more interesting than anything on TV right now.

1. Introduction - Dr. Michael Healey, CALFED Science Program
2. History of the Isolated Facility - Mr. Dan Odenweller, Regional Water Quality Control Board (excellent example and overview of the peripheral canal mentality)
3. Design and Operation Issues - Dr. David Fullerton, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (lots of good canal bits, here)
4. Environmental Issues - Dr. William Bennett, University of California at Davis ( Dr. Bennett is a superb biologist and an excellent presenter. If you know your Delta geography, he will drop a broad hint about about his recent discovery: spawning ground of the Delta Smelt. Best of all, Dr. Bennett outlines a brilliant and sensible approach to study the California Delta ecosystem and how to develop a water export system that will produce the most water with the least environmental damage. I just love this guy!

Use the links here to watch a recorded webcast of the August 22 workshop. The 300K connection is great for DSL and better. A 56K connection is provided as well.

http://www.visualwebcaster.com/event.asp?regd=y&id=41793

Here is the link for the September 11 webcast:

http://www.visualwebcaster.com/event.asp?regd=y&id=41794

We just got back from a four-day Delta outing on the Mud Duck. We had a great time!
 
yzer

I've bookmarked the webcast for later viewing, but I just wanted to say Than You for posting these kind of revealing insights into the water wars brewing in the delta. It will also be interesting to see how the legal battle for protecting the smelt effects decisions about delta water. There is lots of legal precedent for protecting endangered species and may be our best way to go.

Thanks again!
 
Flutter, let me know what you think about the first 90 minutes of this video. It's a great primer on the Delta water issue, explaining what some of the "code" (like "isolated conveyance") means. It explains the old way water projects were done in California and how we can do better. It will also let you know exactly where the State of California stands on the environmental/peripheral canal issues so far, where we are headed and how we can steer the process.
 
yzer,

Thanks for those links. I watched a few hours of each. I'll come back and watch more - I actually enjoy this kinda stuff.

But man, I knew this situation was complicated, but oh, Dear!

Thanks
 
I did watch the first session, but have not watched the 9/11 session yet. It seemed to me that after all these years, the CALFED folks are determined to take water before it reaches the Delta and ship it down south. Health of the Delta ecosystem seems to be an afterthought.

BTW, I sent an email to Arnold regarding my opposition to a "isolated conveyance". I actually got a response which makes it clear he is not budging from his position. We will really have to fight hard to prevent this from happening!
 
I glad some other RO's watched these sessions, too. It's amazing to me to actually watch how these decisions about CA water get made and how the process works. I'm something of a discovery & science channel buff, so I like watching these presentations on some of the new research.

There is an index feature available once you start watching the stream. That makes it possible to jump around through the entire day's workshop.
 
I try to stay informed and often your posts assist in meeting that objective, but these things tend to put me to sleep.
 
Yzer,

Damn, this is one complicated system! I am going to start watching the video tonight, but in one of your other links, I came across a spot where we the puplic could comment on proposed issues, and came across another little piece of the puzzle.

Maybe I am reading it wrong, but this is a proposed contract to allow El Dorado hills to have some quantity of water, over 5000 acre/ft, taken out at Folsom, and it is unclear if this is water that would have previously been in the American. If it is water in addition to what is now being taken, it lowers the fresh water getting to the Delta the SoCal people are discussing! The "contract" is 120 pages and pretty complicated so if anyone else here can understand it, I think there is time to send in public comments. here is the link

http://www.usbr.gov/mp/nepa/documentShow.cfm?Doc_ID=3163
Maybe this is nothing, but I thought I would put a link for others to try to understant it!

Thanks yzer!
Jim
 
quote:
Originally posted by Comfortably Numb

Yzer,

Damn, this is one complicated system! I am going to start watching the video tonight, but in one of your other links, I came across a spot where we the puplic could comment on proposed issues, and came across another little piece of the puzzle.

Maybe I am reading it wrong, but this is a proposed contract to allow El Dorado hills to have some quantity of water, over 5000 acre/ft, taken out at Folsom, and it is unclear if this is water that would have previously been in the American. If it is water in addition to what is now being taken, it lowers the fresh water getting to the Delta the SoCal people are discussing! The "contract" is 120 pages and pretty complicated so if anyone else here can understand it, I think there is time to send in public comments. here is the link

http://www.usbr.gov/mp/nepa/documentShow.cfm?Doc_ID=3163
Maybe this is nothing, but I thought I would put a link for others to try to understant it!

Thanks yzer!
Jim

Click to expand...


Jim,

No, the new contract will not result in a net loss of water from Folsom Lake, the American River or the California Delta.

El Dorado Irrigation District (EDI) proposes to release more water from Weber Reservoir into Weber Creek for environmental purposes. It also proposes to not remove some water by ditch from three other creeks.

EDI simply proposes to send more water down these four creeks and into the American River and Folsom Lake. In return, EDI is asking the Bureau of Reclamation to allow EDI to pump out that same amount of water from Folsom Lake, where it can send that water to some water-thirsty subdivisions in El Dorado Hills.

The contract states that similar 1-year contracts have been in effect between EDI and Reclamation for the past six years.

I'm not touching the issue of who won't be getting the water that used to be diverted by EDI when it was taken further upstream.

From the document you linked above:

The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) proposes to enter into a long-term (40-year) Warren Act (WA) contract with the El Dorado Irrigation District (EID) to facilitate the delivery of up to 4,560 acrefeet (AF) per year of non-Project water through Folsom Reservoir for municipal and industrial (M&I) uses in the western portion of El Dorado County. The sources of the non-Project water fall into two categories: 1) pre-1914 appropriative water rights and 2) post-1914 rights licensed by the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB).

The first category is water that EID would otherwise be entitled to divert from Slab Creek (Summerfield Ditch), Hangtown Creek (Gold Hill Ditch), and Weber Creek (Farmers Free Ditch) under pre-1914 appropriative water rights. These three creeks are tributary to the South Fork of the American River upstream of Folsom Reservoir. EID proposes to forgo diversion at these ditches and allow water to flow downstream to Folsom Reservoir for diversion via EID’s Folsom Lake Raw Water Pump Station (FLRWPS) on the south shore of Folsom Reservoir.

The second category of water to be conveyed under the proposed WA contract is water stored in and released from Weber Reservoir under a licensed, post-1914 water right (License 2184). These releases will allow EID to implement an Operational Agreement with the California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) that provides instream flows to benefit fish and wildlife resources in Weber Creek downstream of Weber Reservoir. The releases from Weber Reservoir will remain instream and ultimately end up in Folsom Reservoir for rediversion via EID’s Folsom Lake Raw Water Pump Station on the south shore of Folsom Reservoir.
 
yzer,

We tend to get a little paranoid with all these water related things happening - you never know who is doing what!

Thanks!
Jim
 
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