“In all likelihood the water bond will be put off ’til 2014, that’s what I think,” said Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg.

State lawmakers are likely to delay voters’ consideration of an $11 billion water bond from this November until 2014.   This would be the second time the ballot measure has been pushed back. The bond was originally set for voters’ consideration in 2010, but former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed legislation delaying it until this year…….more

The first Mountain Counties Regional Forum on Water Management and Planning is scheduled for: Monday, April 2, 2012 from 10:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

• PRIMARY LOCATION: El Dorado Hills: EDH Fire Station, 1050 Wilson Boulevard (map)
• Oakhurst: Yosemite-Gateway Assoc. of Realtors, 40298 Junction Drive (map)
• A webinar format is also available.

Mountain Counties Regional Forum_Agenda

The Forum agenda will focus on discussing regional water management priorities, programs, conditions and challenges. This information will help develop the Water Plan Update 2013 Mountain Counties Regional Report, which tells the water story for this area. An Executive Summary of the Regional Report will be included in the Water Plan Highlights document – capturing key elements of strategic water planning issues, priorities and recommendations that help inform statewide investments.

Representatives of water agencies and collaboratives; local, state, Tribal and federal government; watershed and community groups; conservancies; and the public are encouraged to attend and needed for successful dialog.

RSVP Link

PLEASE RSVP online at: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/P37FKGR

$10 will be collected for the working lunch.

If you encounter difficulties with the online RSVP, please contact Judie Talbot at talbot.judie@gmail.com or 775.720.0214.

Webinar: https://resources.webex.com/resources/j.php?ED=179175057&UID=1258061722&RT=MiM0
(Note: No password is required for this meeting, just sign in and click “Join Now”)

Toll-free number:    1-866-873-9348  Access code: 960 941 8
** If you encounter technical difficulties, call Judie Talbot at: 775-720-0214**

Letter to Phil Isenberg, Chair, Delta Stewardship Council

Members of the North State Water Alliance (NSWA) respond to the Delta Stewardship Council’s staff summary of major issues raised with the 5th draft Delta Plan, specifically WR R5.  WR R5 would propose that the State Water Resources Control Board not approve a water-right change that would result in increased water use unless the proponent demonstrates that it has evaluated and implemented all feasible water supply alternatives.

Click here for more:  Alliance letter to DSC 032612



Adaptive Management in Forest Planning: Tools and Techniques

Thursday, May 10, 2012 | 10:00-3:00

Garden Pavilion, McClellan Base, near Sacramento

For more information, click here  Sierra Cascades Dialog Announce Session

USDA Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region

If Measure C does not pass in Placer County on June 5, the Foresthill Public Utility District will close its doors on June 30.  Measure C repeals Measure B, which passed June 21, 2011. Measure B rolled back the increase in district’s water rates that became effective on Sept. 1, 2010.

This urgent warning came from the Foresthill PUD General Manager Leo Havener at the quarterly joint meeting of Mountain Counties Water Resources Association and the Association of County Water Agencies held at The Ridge Golf Club and Event Center in Auburn on March 9.  Read more….Foresthill PUD

Flows and the Delta: The Consequences of Using a One-Dimensional Approach to Address a Complex Problem

A new coalition of water and power agencies has prepared an eight page summation citing the potential impacts of a proposed increased Delta flow criteria that would be detrimental to water supplies, hydro-power generation, the environment and recreation if it were adopted.  Read more…..Risks Ahead

Coalition:

• Association of California Water Agencies
• California Municipal Utilities Association
• City of Redding; Department of Public Works
• Northern California Water Association
• Northern California Power Agency
• Placer County Water Agency
• Redding Electric Utility
• Sacramento Municipal Utility District
• San Luis and Delta-Mendota Water Authority
• State Water Contractors
• Westlands Water District
• Yuba County Water Agency

Sacramento Chapter, Environmental & Water Resources Institute American Society of Civil Engineers

POSTPONEMENT NOTICE

Back to the Future

California’s New System Yield – A Paradigm Shift

Increasing System Yield in the Face of Uncertainty – Protecting the Future Beneficial Use of Water

With the prescient issues regarding the BDCP, Delta Flow Criteria, and Water Bond (election-related lead-up issues) in such a high state of flux and capturing much of the water industry decision-making attention, the EWRI/ASCE has decided to postpone its scheduled March 27^th Symposium to later in the year.  We feel that this best preserves our unique topic and provides an increased opportunity for all interested persons to fully participate later in the year.

We will still be preparing a White Paper to the Governor’s Office this spring that will capture leading climate change threats to California system yield based on current Reclamation, DWR, CCAWWG, and academic research, and commenting upon on the potential immediate and long-term implications to water users when added to increasingly stringent regulatory platforms.  For those wishing to participate in reviewing or contributing to this paper, we would of course welcome your input.

Full refunds will be provided through EWRI/ASCE.

The March 9 General Membership Program March Agenda drew 82 people to The Ridge in Auburn. (Gallery Pictures)

• Placer County Supervisor Chair Jennifer Montgomery provided the Welcome
• EID Board Member and MCWRA President Bill George reported that the Association Membership is at 61 and new members since the December 9 include: County of Amador, Amador County Farm Bureau, Tully & Young (member and website sponsor), Steve Frost Consulting, Aragon Solutions, Atkins (website sponsor), Peterson/Brustad (website sponsor), EN2 (website sponsor)
• Reported that Board of Directors appointed Dr. Scott Miller, a Board Member at NID, to the Legislative Committee and Lesa Osterholm, Water Efficiency Coordinator at NID, to represent the Association at the California Urban Water Conservation Council.
• The Board of Directors took action
  • to Accept and Thank Ron Skaggs of Condor Earth Technologies for sponsorship of their GIS capabilities that will be linked to the MCWRA website
  • Thanked Jeff Lodge of Wood/Rogers for their sponsoring the Association with graphics and printing material to help us as we develop “the telling of our Story” (A program to show the watershed stewardship and investment that has statewide benefit)
  • Established a “Technical Advisory Committee” to improve value for its members by creating a mechanism for member information sharing and participation in cost-sharing projects and programs; and to help identify and raise emerging issues that could impact the membership.  Matt Young (PCWA) and Jeff Meyer (CCWD) have joined as Committee members and Bill indicated that the Association still needs a couple more Water Purveyors to fill out our committee roster and to contact John Kingsbury if you are interested
  • Adopted the Membership Dues Restructure that the Board has been working on since last November.  Bill reported holding two membership workshops and the Board considered several options to enhance the Association’s advocacy.
• TUD’s General Manager and MCWRA Legislative Committee Chair Pete Kampa provided an update on legislation
• CCWD’s Board Member and ACWA Region 3 Chair Bob Dean provided discussion relevant to his interest in working with ACWA to establish Source Water Policy Principles
• ACWA’s Executive Director Tim Quinn updated the membership on the Ag/Urban process with the Delta Stewardship Council, his perspective on the Water Bond and the need for public financing that works for California as a whole
• Foresthill Public Utilities District’s General Manager Leo Havener provided the background and history that led up to the District’s financial crisis.  PowerPoint Presentation: Foresthill Public Utilities District – Leo Havener
• City of Roseville’s  and California Urban Water Conservation Council Board Member (CUWCC) Lisa Brown provided an overview of the Council and its activities. PowerPoint Presentation: California Urban Water Conservation Council Presentation – Lisa Brown
• State Water Resources Control Board Erin Ragazzi, along with Les Groger of the State Board provided an overview of the State Board’s role and and approach to the Delta flows and upstream tributaries.  PowerPoint Presentation: State Water Resources Control Board – Erin Ragazzi
• Department of Water Resources, Gary Lippner, P.E. provided an overview and update on the California Water Plan and Regional forum, specific to the Mountain Counties. Gary encouraged attendance at the April 2 Regional Workshop in Folsom or at one of the Satellite facilities set up for the region. PowerPoint Presentation: Department of Water Resources – Gary Lippner

The next General Membership meeting will be on June 8, 2012 in the Auburn area (TBD)

Reminder of two important forums:

1. The first DWR Mountain Counties Regional Forum on Water Management andPlanning is scheduled for Monday, April 2, 2012 from 10:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. The primary meeting location will be in El Dorado Hills, with satellite locations in Sonora and Oakhurst. A webinar format is also available.  Click here for more details
2. On Tuesday, March 20, 2012 at 2 P.M., at the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors meeting,  Supervisor Ray Nutting and El Dorado County Water Agency General Manager Dave Eggerton, will be sponsoring a presentation by Dr. Roger C. Bales on watershed in the Sierra Nevada. Click here for more details

Sacramento Chapter, Environmental & Water Resources Institute American Society of Civil Engineers In coordination with WateReuse California Annual Conference

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Sacramento Convention Center, 1400 J Street, Sacramento, California

The EWRI/ASCE 2012 Symposium (Back to the Future Program and sign up-1 (1)) will describe some of the key threats to natural yield depletion and offer what some leading water agencies here in California and around the world are doing to protect their existing water portfolios from a continuous array of threats.  The importance of yield and the need for enhancement is vital to all water users since without it, consumptive uses, environmental flows, hydropower generation, recreational flows, etc. will all be limited to what each can effectively serve.  Delta issues are clearly secondary to system yield.  Upstream source areas, or area-of-origin watersheds and those water purveyors managing those systems, therefore, will play an increasingly important role in California water resources management as the threat of climate change-induced flow changes begin to unfold.