Headwaters in Peril; legislation – funding –  constraints

Symposium Date:  May 30, 2018

Location:  The Ridge Golf Course and Event Center, 2020 Golf Course Rd, Auburn, CA 95602 – Directions

Doors Open: 8:15 a.m.

Time: 9:00 a.m. – 2:45 p.m.

How We Got Here and How It Could Have Been Prevented

Managing Public Forest Lands – Today

Managing Private Forest Lands as a Partner & Stakeholder in The Forest

Managing Public Forest Lands – The Vision

What Needs to Be Done – How Are We Going to Get There (afternoon panel discussion)

Participants:

• Congressman Ami Bera – invited
• Congressman Doug LaMalfa – confirmed
• Congressman Tom Mc Clintock – confirmed
• Randy Moore, Pacific Southwest Regional Forester  – confirmed
• Barnie Gyant, Pacific Southwest Deputy Regional Forester – confirmed
• Jim Branham, Executive Officer, Sierra Nevada Conservancy – confirmed
• Dan Tomascheski, Vice President, Sierra Pacific Industries  – confirmed

RSVP link: https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/3354938

Important notes:

• MCWRA Member Advanced Registration Now Open
• State and Federal Representatives Registration Now Open
• Non-Member registration open May 19, subject to availability – limited space available
• No-Walk-ins

AGENDA – COMING SOON

TIME IS LIMITED, RSVP TODAY!

Contact:  John Kingsbury, Executive Director

johnkingsbury.mcwra@gmail.com

(530) 957-7879

RSVP link: https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/3354938

Click Link to Mavens Notebook 

On April 10, 2018, the Mountain Counties Water Resources Association (MCWRA) hosted two one-hour educational workshops in Placer and Calaveras counties on the 2018 November Water Bond Act Initiative.  Gerald Meral, Ph.D., Director, California Water Program, Natural Heritage Institute, provided an educational overview and detailed the Sierra Nevada community and water benefits.  Joining Gerald in the discussion was Bryce Lundberg, Member, State Board Food & Agriculture, and Chairman of the Northern California Water Association.

Bryce Lundberg & Jerry Meral

Water Bond Educational Workshop handout

Photo by Dakota Morlan

Bonds may impact water district rates and projects

By Dakota Morlan

In February, the Calaveras County Water District voted unanimously to support two major California water bonds. The first, Proposition 68, will appear on the June ballot and the second, the Water Supply and Water Quality Act of 2018, will appear on the November ballot.

“These bonds create numerous grant opportunities, which CCWD plans to actively pursue,” stated CCWD Manager of External Affairs, Conservation and Grants Joel Metzger. “Every grant award the district secures could help minimize future rate increases.”

Click here for more from the Calaveras Enterprize

By Gene Beley: Video from the Town Hall program in San Andreas

Click link for PowerPoint presentation: Gerald Meral – Sierra foothills presentations

Gallery

• Water Right Curtailment cases
• Bay-Delta Water Quality Control Plan
• Waste and Unreasonable Use
• Water Transfers

Program introduction by John Mills, Offices of John Mills, and featuring Tim O’Laughlin, O”Laughlin & Paris LLP, Attorneys at Law

Agenda

Date: Friday, April 13, 2018   9:00 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.

NOTE: START TIME CHANGE FROM 9:30 TO 9:00 a.m.

Doors open at 8:15 a.m.

Location: El Dorado Irrigation District, 2890 Mosquito Rd. Placerville, CA  95667

Directions 

Registration closes Thursday, April 12, at 5:00 p.m.

RSVP: https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/3354889

Calaveras County Water District (CCWD) Proposing Water and Sewer Rate Changes

Contact: Joel Metzger, Manager of External Affairs, Conservation and Grants, Calaveras County Water District, Desk: (209) 754-3123, Mobile: (209) 768-6270, www.ccwd.org

After more than a year of in-depth analysis and discussion, the Calaveras County Water District Board of Directors instructed staff to send written notifications to customers regarding proposed changes to rates for the District’s 13,000 water customers and 5,000 sewer customers (click here to read the notice). These notices are required by Proposition 2018 (Prop. 218), which is a constitutional amendment passed in 1996 that ensures public agencies notify customers before rates or fees are changed. Prop. 218 also requires a 45-day period between the mailing of the notices and the date of a final public hearing, at which time the new water and sewer rates will be voted on by CCWD Board members. CCWD’s public rate hearing is scheduled for 1 p.m. May 23, 2018, at the District’s headquarters at 120 Toma Court, San Andreas. All information regarding the proposed rate changes will be posted to www.ccwd.org/rates.

For more, click link: http://ccwd.org/ccwd-notifying-customers-of-proposed-water-sewer-rate-changes/

Placer County Water Agency Board Commits to Western Placer County Agriculture

Contact: Ross Branch, Public Affairs Manager,Placer County Water Agency (530) 823-1937 (office) – (530) 863-3130 (cell) – rbranch@pcwa.net

 AUBURN, Calif. (April 6, 2018)

In anticipation of the 2018 irrigation season, the Placer County Water Agency (PCWA) Board of Directors have approved a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with South Sutter Water District (SSWD) allowing for continued operation of conveyance facilities that deliver water to PCWA agriculture customers in western Placer County. Although yet to be approved by SSWD, the agreement signifies sustained commitment by PCWA to local agriculture.

Since 1981, when PCWA and SSWD first entered into a joint-use agreement, both parties have shared operational costs associated with the Pleasant Grove and Moore canals used to deliver water to PCWA customers in the area. Under the new agreement, PCWA assumes more responsibility of specified day-to-day operations of the canals, while SSWD retains ownership of the canals and responsibility for specialized activities. Similar to the previous agreement, PCWA will reimburse SSWD for specific costs related to its responsibilities.

The MOA approved by the PCWA Board runs through 2019, which allows time for PCWA to consider and fully understand expectations and obligations associated with potential PCWA ownership and operation of the conveyance system. Should PCWA determine it is in the best interest to own and operate the water conveyance facilities, PCWA and SSWD may pursue a transfer of ownership just prior to the 2020 irrigation season.

“We have a very positive and long-standing relationship with South Sutter Water District with regard to providing water to our western county agriculture customers,” PCWA General Manager Einar Maisch said. “This proposal is the result of outreach to and discussion with our customers, and is the best option for moving forward. We’re committed to finding a long-term arrangement that ensures agriculture customers in western Placer County have a reliable water source.”

 For more, click link:  https://pcwa.net/newsroom/news-release

Water Bond Educational Workshops, Tuesday, April 10, 2018 

The Mountain Counties Water Resources Association will be hosting workshops for Dr. Jerry Meral to discuss the details of the water bond and to answer questions.  Joining Jerry will be Bryce Lundberg, State Board Food & Agriculture, and President of the Northern California Water Association.  If you have questions, contact John Kingsbury at johnkingsbury.mcwra@gmail.com

Registration closes Monday, April 9 at 5:00 p.m.

RSVP: https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/3338874

LOCATIONS

APRIL 10 – GET INFORMED at one of the 2018 Water Bond Educational Workshops on APRIL 10, 2018 – specifically brought to a location near you!

The Mountain Counties Water Resources Association will be hosting three one-hour workshops around the region for Dr. Jerry Meral to discuss the details of the water bond and to answer questions.  Joining Jerry will be Bryce Lundberg, State Board Food & Agriculture, and President of the Northern California Water Association.  If you have questions, contact John Kingsbury at johnkingsbury.mcwra@gmail.com

RSVP: https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/3338874

LOCATIONS

By: Ron W. Ringen, Director, Tuolumne Utilities District Board Director

209-5325536 – rringen@tudwater.com

A HUGE thanks for your tremendous foresight to envision, and then the perseverance to plan and actually put on the March 23, 2018 “INNOVATIVE WATER TECHNOLOGIES FOR CALIFORNIA WORKSHOP” held at the Ridge Golf Course & Events Center in Auburn. What a GREAT learning and information gathering event it was!

The presenters were well informed and well prepared with great power point presentations, as well as being more than equipped and able to answer in detail tough, pointed questions after their presentations. I was very impressed, and I personally learned a lot even though I’m a (one of five) water/sewer District (Tuolumne Utilities District) Board Director. The information I gained will help me understand and put in perspective some of the District issues we are faced with and allow me to, hopefully, make better and more informed decisions as I attempt to fulfill my duties as a Board Director. Anyone that ‘side stepped’ this event ‘shot themselves in the foot’ as far as I’m concerned!

I was accompanied by one of our best and brightest Engineers working at TUD. He and I sat at a table together with a GM, but also an engineer, of a very progressive water and Special District in Tuolumne County. Both individuals took notes through out the various presentations to take back with them for use at our individual agencies. How powerful is that?!

Last, but certainly not least, my sincere thanks to the business’s and agencies that not only took their valuable time to put together and make the incredible informative presentations, but then to dig deep into their tight budgets and provide this great learning event all at NO COST to those that attended. A huge THANK YOU from this TUD Board member! I brought back a bunch of information/handouts to share with our GM and Staff.

Workshop Sponsors/Participants

At the MCWRA workshop held last week at The Ridge in Auburn, Associate members presented innovative technology.  The program was attended by county Supervisors, general managers, engineering staff and others interested in the latest technology on a variety of interests:

• Advances in Data Acquisition Technology for Water and Hydropower Monitoring
• Pretreatment Design for Wildfire Runoff
• Better, Faster, Smarter: Utilizing Adaptive Management, Technology and Basic Science to Simplify Permitting Requirements for In-Water Work
• Hands Off:  A Review of Today’s Research Landscape and the Modern Tools That Don’t Require Fish Handling
• State of Practice for Spillway and Gate Inspections and Analyses
• Improving Your Delivery System  Resiliency: Hazards Evaluation of Tunnels and Canals
• Application of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) in Water Resources Industry

Water Technology Workshop Agenda

PowerPoint Presentations

Gallery

The Mountain Counties Water Resources Association would like to thank all our Associate Member sponsors and participants for an excellent workshop.

AECOM * CONDOR * HDR * PETERSON.BRUSTAD.INC. * PG&E * SAGE

Photo credit: Mountain Democrat

By:  Dale Coco MD,  El Dorado Irrigation District Board Member, El Dorado Water Agency Board Member

California Legislators,

 Speaking on behalf of myself as a Member of the El Dorado Irrigation District’s Board of Directors, and not on behalf of the Board or District itself, the State Water Resources Control Board’s (SWRCB) plan for minimum flows in the rivers entering the Delta is based on faulty science, driven by special interest groups and water power brokers, and will reduce availability and increase the cost of water for residential use.

 The people of Northern California demand and deserve a review study of the plan by the biological sciences department of one of our top universities. The SWRCB has ignored other legitimate studies of the Delta in formulating its plan. They are aware their plan is not based on hard science, but are persisting in order to relieve political pressure.

 This plan will force the majority of the residents of Northern California to sacrifice in order to appease small vocal minorities and water barons. It is time the legislators of California serve those who elected them, not those who financed their elections. I call on the legislators of California to support an independent review study of the SWRCB plan for flows into the Delta.

 The premise that increasing the flows into the Delta will solve the Delta’s problems is not founded on evidence-based science; outcome-based science, or controlled studies. In fact, just the opposite has been shown by outcome-based studies. The flows into the Delta have been increased for years and the problems have increased, not decreased.

 Non-native plants have invaded the Delta and taken away the breeding and nesting grounds of the small fish. Non-native predatory fish have been introduced that feed on the small fish and salmon. Increased flows will promote these non-native species. This is common knowledge, but the SWRCB continues to ignore this information in formulating their plan for the Delta.

 The salmon don’t need year round minimum flows to facilitate their runs. They need increased flows at certain times of the year and certain temperatures to induce their runs. This is also common knowledge that has also been ignored by The SWRCB.

 Salt water incursion can be measured and monitored, and then flows can be altered to counter the effects without wasting water by using constant flows. The SWRCB is instituting measures that will send water out the Golden Gate while at the same time pushing for conservation.

 The people of Northern California demand the legislators counter this politically driven science and replace it with the results of a legitimate, independent review study.