California Water News Roundup 2/15/19

Well that was quite a week in California water news, we had a little bit of everything. Enjoy.

Rivers of Rain
Atmospheric river possible next week for California, raising flood concerns – Mercury News
Dam releases to increase as storm moves into NorCal – KCRA
Bay Area’s biggest storm of 2019 douses, disrupts, damages region – SF Chronicle

Bad Drinking Water
Editorial: California’s contaminated drinking water is a disgrace – Mercury
Newsom signs bill to provide $131.3 million in emergency relief, including safe water – Fresno Bee
TRUE: ‘More than a million Californians’ don’t have clean drinking water … It could be higher – Politifact

Nutria Invaders in the Delta and Weasels in DC
They’re big, furry and could destroy the Delta. California has a $2 million plan to kill them – SacBee
Top leader at the Department on Interior pushes a policy favoring his former client  – NYT

Newsom Kills Brown’s Twin Tunnels, supports Single Tunnel
Newsom scales back controversial Delta twin tunnels plan – The Mercury
California Gov. Gavin Newsom downsizes Delta water project: one tunnel, not two – Sac Bee
California’s new Gov Gavin Newsom bails on Jerry Brown’s Waterfix (but supports partial Delta Tunnels plan) – Red, Green, and Blue
Newsom downgrades Brown’s pet projects – CALmatters 

And reactions poured in
REACTIONS (UPDATED) from agencies, legislators, and organizations to Governor Newsom’s announcements on Cal Water Fix, New State Water Board Chair – MAVENS
Editorial: Newsom chops back troubled high-speed rail and delta water plans – SF Chronicle
Will Newsom’s plans for train and tunnels fix problems – or just create new ones? – Fresno Bee
UP FRONT – KPFA Morning News 2/13/19 (Barbara interviewed on Tunnels (1:08:05)
Garamendi stops short of supporting Newsom’s modified Delta tunnels plans – Daily Republic (Solano) 
Editorial: Good riddance to the Delta twin tunnels boondoggle – Mercury News 
MWD’s GM on California Water Infrastructure & Gov. Newsom’s Qualified Support for Delta WaterFix – The Planning Report
Newsom Scales Back Water-Delivery Tunnel Project
 – NBC4 SoCal 

Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla, executive director of the Restore the Delta environmental group, applauded Newsom’s decision to scale back WaterFix, which she dubbed a “boondoggle.”

“We look forward to working with his administration and the State Water Resources Control Board to created and enforce policies that will restore Delta water quality and quantity, lessen water dependence on the Delta and promote clean drinking programs and regional self-sufficiency for the benefit of all Californians.”

Newsom Shuffles Water Leadership
Felicia Marcus removed from State Water Board. ‘It was time for a change.’ – Modesto Bee
Newsom Backs One Water Tunnel, Curbing Brown Family Legacy – Voice of San Diego
Water & Agriculture leadership changes afoot in California – Ducks Unlimited

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