Prop. 1 channels billions of dollars to California’s water needs — but will it hurt or help endangered salmon? By Alistair Bland “Everywhere else in the nation, they are tearing down dams to benefit fish. Only in California are leaders telling us that building dams will benefit fish.” “One of the main arguments for the dams from supporters is that dams will make for more flexibility in releasing water for fish. But obviously, the main reason for having dams is to have better flexibility for providing water for farmers. The environment just becomes justification for it.” Check out the full article here: http://www.comstocksmag.com/longreads/fish-out-water
california drought
Drought Shows Folly of Tunnels, Would be of NO Use this Year, but Would Cost Millions
March 2, 2015
For Immediate Release: Monday, March 2, 2015 Contact: Steve Hopcraft 916/457-5546; [email protected]; Twitter: @shopcraft; Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla 209/479-2053 [email protected]; Twitter: @RestoretheDelta Tunnel Critics: Drought Shows Folly of Tunnels, Would be of NO Use this Year, but Would Cost Millions Sacramento, CA – Restore the Delta (RTD), opponents of Gov. Brown’s rush to build water export Tunnels that would drain the Delta and doom sustainable farms, salmon and other Pacific fisheries, today responded to federal agencies’ curtailment of water deliveries. “It is lucky for the South of Delta agricultural Central Valley Project contractors (and Kern County Water Agency) that the tunnels were not already built. If so, they would have had to pay hundreds of millions of dollars with no water supply,” [...]
Media alert: Mercury News editorial, “Delta’s health should take priority over pumping”
February 25, 2015
In case you missed it… Mercury News Editorial POSTED: 02/24/15, 2:47 PM PST Original article from San Jose Mercury News website here. California needs to get serious about protecting the health of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, one of Silicon Valley's most valuable water sources. The short-term needs of Central Valley farmers are significant. But they pale in comparison with preserving the long-term water quality of the estuary that provides water for two-thirds of the state's residents. California took a significant risk when it waived some environmental protections last year for the Delta in order to pump additional water south to save acres of almond orchards. The results were not pretty. Tom Howard, the executive director of the State Water [...]
Field Poll Finding: Public Opposition to Delta Tunnels Reflects What We’ve Heard
February 24, 2015
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, February 24, 2015 Contact: Steve Hopcraft 916/457-5546; [email protected]; Twitter: @shopcraft; Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla 209/479-2053 [email protected]; Twitter: @RestoretheDelta Tunnels Opponents React to Field Poll Finding: Public Opposition Reflects What We've Heard Governor Has Chance to Rethink a Sustainable Solution Sacramento, CA – Restore the Delta (RTD), opponents of Gov. Brown’s rush to build water export Tunnels that would drain the Delta and doom sustainable farms, salmon and other Pacific fisheries, today said that the Field Poll finding that two of three voters do not support the massive water export tunnels project called on Gov. Brown to “rethink his water policies and embrace a new, sustainable water solution." "Gov. Brown does have the vision and experience to recognize [...]
Media Alerts of Interest: Coverage of yesterday’s state hearing on Delta water
February 19, 2015
Media coverage from February 18-19, featuring Restore the Delta and supporters: News 10, watch or read: Central Valley farmers are demanding access to more water from the Delta Feb. 19, 2015 News10/KXTV "…But, those who campaign under the banner "Restore the Delta" say for them, it's also about the people. "We're talking about the fish because the fish supply more jobs than this small area of California farming," California Water Impact Network lawyer Michael Jackson said. "It's not a matter of fish versus farmer. In this particular circumstance, it's farmer versus farmer."… … However, people who live near the Delta are asking, "what about us?" Those residents worry that as freshwater leaves the Delta, salt water will come in. The state limits how much [...]
Media Release: Fishermen, Delta Leaders Protest Move to “Destroy Salmon”
February 17, 2015
Fishermen, Delta Leaders Protest Move to “Destroy Salmon” Push by Westlands, Feinstein to Overpump Delta will Destroy Fisheries; If Endangered Species are Extinct, No Need for Protections; Governor is Violating Clean Water Act Listen to audio: Sacramento, CA – Delta fishermen and community leaders held a news conference this afternoon outside a State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) meeting and announced they have filed protests against the State Water Resources Control Board for its January 27, 2015 Notice of Temporary Change Petitions (TUCP) because it will weaken Delta outflow and water quality standards to the point of extinction for Delta smelt and winter-run Chinook salmon this year. Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla, Executive Director of Restore the Delta, said, “The State Water Resources [...]
Delta Flows: February 16, 2015
February 16, 2015
“We can follow the example of those who remembered that the role of an activist is not to navigate systems of oppressive power with as much integrity as possible, but rather to confront and take down those systems.” — Derrick Jensen Articles • Navigate or Confront • How drought management plays out in the Delta • Chipping away at all watershed protections Navigate or Confront By: Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla This week, Tim Stroshane finished preparing Restore the Delta’s first Protest response to the State Water Resources Control Board, specifically the Board’s January 27, 2015 Notice of Temporary Urgency Change Petition (TUCP). The TUCP is the Board’s decision to modify D-1641 for the months of February and March, weakening Delta outflow standards, [...]
Delta Community, Business Leaders Offer Cash Prizes for H2O Hackathon – A Water Challenge Winners: Identifying Sustainable Solutions
February 11, 2015
For Immediate Release: Wednesday, February 11, 2015 Contact: Steve Hopcraft 916/457-5546; [email protected]; Twitter: @shopcraft; Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla; 209/479-2053 [email protected]; @RestoretheDelta Stockton, CA – iHUB San Joaquin, in partnership with Restore the Delta, the Delta Coalition, Café Coop, the San Joaquin Partnership, the A.G. Spanos Companies, and various Delta businesses announced today the two top prizes available for registered participants in the “H2O Hackathon: A Water Challenge.” The first place prize (Most Awesome Hack) will be $2500, and the second place prize (Most Creative Hack) will be $1000. Additional valuable prizes will be awarded in other categories. Announcements will be made closer to the event. The Hackathon will take place March 27th and 28th. Event sponsors are seeking to recruit technology experts [...]
Delta Flows: February 10, 2015
February 10, 2015
Articles • If it ain’t broken… • History repeating itself… • Not Really Fixing It If it ain’t broken… By Stina Va Local and state Delta agencies continue to disagree about current state efforts to change priorities and funding for Delta levees. Currently, two efforts are under way: The Delta Stewardship Council is developing a “levee investment strategy” to implement its Delta Plan levee strategy, and the Delta Protection Commission is studying the feasibility of creating a Delta levee assessment district to fund levees that may not be covered by state or federal liability. The Council seeks to prioritize levees for investment, and the Commission hopes to create a funding base to ensure funds are available to invest. But local [...]
Our Response to Secretary Jewell
February 9, 2015
Delta Tunnels Opponents Respond to Secretary Jewell Will Federal Funds Support Overpumping that Threatens Salmon Extinction? Stockton, CA – Restore the Delta (RTD), opponents of Gov. Brown’s rush to build Twin Tunnels that would drain the Delta and doom salmon and other Pacific fisheries, today responded to U.S. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell’s Friday announcement. “Secretary Jewell’s announcement mentions that $5.37 million will be available for Delta needs for drought monitoring of endangered species, and to increase flexibility in water operations,” said Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla, executive director of Restore the Delta. “What we fear is that this spending plan will translate into funding to manage the system so that the greatest amount of water is exported to big agribusiness growers on the [...]
