Earlier this year, MCWRA had the unique opportunity to host 12 Rice University (Houston) students for a half day in Sacramento at the Capitol and a daylong tour of the American River Watershed.  On the eight day Alternative Spring Break (ASB) trip, the students examined the impacts of the drought, visited local farms and communities most affected in the areas of San Francisco, Sacramento, and Fresno. The students also explored some of the causes and exacerbating factors of the drought, looking at the issue through the lens of climate change and policy. The students also looked at the issue of working with local water boards, conservancies, and supporting organizations that are raising awareness in the local communities in an effort to promote water conservation and sustainability.

Rice University Site Leaders Laura and Kate Nicholson

We (Kate & Laura) were inspired to start this ASB journey by our concern for what we had heard about the drought in California and what the trend could mean for all of our futures. The process of developing, planning and executing this trip was challenging, but well beyond worth it for us. We felt so lucky to have such passionate, engaged and intelligent participants on our trip, their thoughts and contibutions to discussions made the trip what it was. We are also so very thankful for all the people we met with throughout the trip. Everyone we spoke to had an amazing story to tell and something real to teach us. Countless people went far out of their way to help us and we could not have done it without them. 

Througout the week, the students took copious notes on the presentations and discussions with and by the many different resource we met with. At the end of each day we then reflected as a group on the topics covered for that day and our reactions to them. In the end we formed a blog written in collaboration with the group.

On Day 3 of our eight day California trip, we moved on to the Capitol building, where, with the gracious help of Mr. John Kingsbury, MCWRA executive director, we met with State Senator Jim Nielsen, State Assemblymember Frank Bigelow, and Carolyn Angius from the Governor’s office,  Through these discussions with policy makers, “we received a broadened perspective on agriculture and its relation to policy, as well as what policies were being put in place to help different communities, from urban to rural.”

Assembly Member Frank Bigelow

Senator Jim Nielsen

Day 4: Tour of Nimbus Hatchery, Folsom Reservoir, Sierra Nevada Conservancy, Placer County, Foresthill

Kingsbury. Before departing, we met Debbie Davis Franco, a community affairs advisor and drought liaison from the Governor’s office, and Barbara Balen, a USDA Forest Service District Archaeologist who would both be accompanying us on our tour for the day. Our first stop was at the Nimbus Fish Hatchery, where we were given a fabulous tour of the facilities from Laura Drath, a public relations interpreter from the Fish & Wildlife service. Following this, Tom Gohring, the executive director of the Water Forum gave us a presentation about the Water Forum as a group and how they came about making important decisions that would impact huge numbers of people and their livelihoods. He specifically focused on the American River Water Stakeholder Agreement, which was a groundbreaking agreement made in 2000 between water purveyors to better understand the relative importance of all factors pulling at the water resources.

Following the tour of the fishery, we made our way to Folsom Lake where we talked to Marcus Yasutake, the environmental and water resources director for the City of Folsom. He was very knowledgeable about Folsom Dam, and it was really interesting to talk to him about his thoughts on the drought and how it has affected Folsom and its people.

This then brought us to the Sierra Nevada Conservancy office, where we met with Bob Kingman, the assistant executive director of the conservancy, Josh Huntsinger, the Placer County Agricultural Commissioner, and the local foods advocate and author, Joanne Neft. Here we had a delicious, local lunch provided by Joanne and coordinated by Mr. Kingsbury. Joanne was even so kind to give each of the participants a copy of her cookbook! We learned much more about how the conservancy operates and the importance of forest management and the role water plays in the maintenance of the Sierra Nevada forests.

After lunch, we all made our way to the Placer County Water Agency where we spoke to Andy Fecko, the director of resource planning of the agency. He educated us about the challenges we face when addressing water in California.

After meeting with Mr. Fecko, our bus made a stop at the confluence of the middle and north fork of the american river. This was an amazing and beautiful area and a wonderful setting to learn about the management of watershed resources from Marie Davis, a registered professional geologist and consultant to the Placer County Water Agency.

Our final stop was at Foresthill, a small community north-east of Sacramento. There we learned more about the challenges more rural communities face in terms of water. For this, we spoke to Hank White, the general manager of the Foresthill Public Utility District. We learned much more about the difficulties of trying to manage a water resource, when monetary resources are low and the intricacies of water rights.

Reflection

Overall, I think I got more out of this day than any other particular day. I hadn’t really known what the particular role of fisheries were, and had no idea how they functioned, I found it particularly interesting how they would maintain the populations of the fish species via manual breeding. Additionally, learning about the other methods, such as fish ladders, and challenges associated with this field and the reasons for it coming into being were also very interesting.

Furthermore, the discussion about the stakeholder agreement further opened my eyes to the many different industries that are all sharing in this precious resource and how difficult finding co-equal goals, or goals that balance a reliable water supply with the protection of the lower american river. The discussion with Mr. Yasutake was also very interesting as we learned more about water reservoirs and Folsom reservoir in particular. Overall it very much seemed like the factors that made the biggest difference in how much water a particular interest group would be able to obtain depended mainly on how much power and money they had, not unlike many other aspects of our society.

Lunchtime was a surprisingly educational moment for me. Hearing Joanne’s enthusiasm and passion for the importance of having local food was very inspiring and her concerns for imported food and the impact of antibiotics in meat products are very real. I also very much agree with her concerns for the growing areas called “food deserts” where people do not have access to local, healthy foods. While theoretically you could eat food only from Placer county all year long, coming from Minnesota, I wonder what kinds of solutions are possible for areas that have a much shorter growing seasons…? Additionally, I hope there are future progress in terms of the prices of organic and local foods as in almost all cases, the conventional foods are much cheaper. Additionally, it was very interesting learning more about the forest outside our windows, especially about its role in water absorption, the changing melting patterns of the snopak and the connection between forest mismanagement and the over-absorption of critical snopak water.

Following the California trip, the students created a website portal of the trip: http://lptn14.wix.com/riceuglasshalffull

RICE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS to return to the Mountain Counties in 2017:  My name is Cindy Nguyen, and I am an undergraduate from Rice University in Houston, TX. I will be leading an Alternative Spring Break (ASB) Trip that will be focusing on water quality issues and water justice. You might remember me and my co-leader Nimi Oyelele, because we were on the ASB trip led by Kate and Laura Nicholson this past spring break! We can’t thank you enough for the workshops you organized for us, and because we were so inspired and motivated to learn more, we’ve signed up to make this trip happen again for spring break of 2017, except we will be leading a new group of students and introduce them to the wonderful organizations that we spoke with before.

By:  John Kingsbury, Executive Director

Mountain Counties Water Resources Association

Time for more water storage

As most of California recovers from this historical drought, one thing we can count on is that history will repeat itself.  Californians can take full credit for willingly sacrificing landscape and adjusting habits to save water supply for another year.  Toilets have been replaced, lawn has been converted to plastic, leaks have been fixed, prime agricultural land has been fallowed, and we have learned to be more efficient with our water supply.

So, fast-forward to the next drought.  What’s next?  There are powerful environmental activists that support dam removal, oppose new and expanded surface storage, and are demanding permanent and more strenuous conservation restrictions, both on indoor use and outdoor irrigation, as well as more water cutbacks on agriculture.  Unfortunately, this environmental movement is a myopic approach that ignores the statewide efforts to improve the California’s integrated water system.

California’s existing integrated and complex water system was built in the 1960s for a different time, hydrology, and population.  Climate is and has been warming.  By 2050, conservative estimates are that we’ll lose 25 to 40 percent of the Sierra snowpack, the state’s largest winter reservoir.  The population has more than doubled since the state and federal water projects were constructed.  In 1960, there were 15.87 million people in California.  Now there are estimates of around 36 million people and projections of over 60 million people by the year 2050.  California’s population is larger than many nations of the world.

Significant to California is the water stored in reservoirs behind dams.  These dams, built decades ago, have dedicated in-stream flow releases designed to meet many beneficial uses of the environment, agriculture, and urban and municipal needs.  Let’s not forget flood control.  As the planet warms, more precipitation will land in the Sierra Nevadas in the form of rain rather than snow.  Rain, not absorbed by the forest floor, moves unimpeded through the watershed, breaching dams, causing valley flooding and pressure on the Delta levee system before the water is wasted to the sea.  All because California does not have adequate storage facilities to capture excess winter flows.

It has not been since Governor Edmund G. Brown’s vision to build a statewide water system for California and President John F. Kennedy’s famous speech in 1962 at the site of San Luis Reservoir that the people of this state have been united to build a path for the future.  “Water is man’s oldest and most precious natural resource,” President Kennedy said.  “For many years, some believed that the water problems of this state were too controversial and too complicated to solve.  They believed there was no escaping the effects of drought and flood.”  And then it was built.  San Luis Reservoir, when full, holds up to 2 million acre feet or 652-billion gallons of water and is the largest off-stream reservoir in the United States.  Construction began in 1963 and was completed in 1967.

Now, half a century later, most Californians are again united.  In 2014, California voters overwhelmingly united to support a water bond as a start to pave the way for the future.  The water bond includes $2.7 billion dollars to support the construction of surface water storage and $810 million dollars to improve water security, provide for drought preparedness, and mitigate the effects of climate change.

There are several proposed well-known surface water storage projects being considered; raising Shasta Dam on the Sacramento River, constructing Sites Reservoir and Temperance Flat, and expanding Los Vaqueros and San Luis Reservoirs.  In the Mountain Counties Area, there are also several potential water storage projects with regional and statewide public benefits.  These regional projects include, Alder Reservoir, Blagen Mill Pond Restoration Project, Centennial Reservoir, Herring Creek Reservoir Expansion, Sierra Pines Reservoir, Sugar Pine Dam Raise, Tuolumne County Water Supply Reliability Project, Upper Strawberry Reservoir, and Wilson Lake Rehabilitation and Meadow Restoration Plan.

Additional surface water storage reduces ground water extraction and subsidence in the Delta by using surface water during wet years and the ground water basin during dry years.  Additional storage provides for new urban and municipal uses, drought preparedness, flood protection, and recreational opportunities.  Surface water stored behind dams provides cold water for endangered fish, such as steelhead trout and salmon.  Water released from reservoirs helps balance the wind and solar electricity grid by generating carbon-free renewable hydropower energy.  As the population grows, so must California water for food production, unless we are content with our children and grandchildren subsisting on two meals a day or food from third world countries.

It is time for more water storage to help pave the way to a prosperous future for California.  Unless we have the fortitude to increase surface water storage as the voters have called for, we will continue to ration the half-full glass of water.  We should reflect on the vision of Governor Brown and the words of President Kennedy:  “Progress represents the combined will of the American people, and only when they are joined together for action, instead of standing still and thinking that everything that had to be done has been done.  It’s only when they join together in a forward movement that this country moves ahead and that we prepare the way for those who come after us.”

This opinion was modified and presented in a letter to Water Commission Chair, Joseph Byrne, and the Commissioners, to remind the Commission of water storage projects in the mountain counties area that have regional and statewide benefit.

Letter to:Chair Joe Bryne August 2016

Impacts of Long-Term Conservation

Friday, September 9, 2016
9:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

El Dorado Irrigation District
2890 Mosquito Road
Placerville, CA 95667

ACWA Region 3 invites you to a one day event that will discuss the impact and issues of long term conservation. This program will feature ACWA Executive Director Tim Quinn, and two panel discussions. The first panel will highlight what it really takes to conserve long-term and the financing planning. The second panel will highlight what local agencies are doing to prepare for the new age of water conservations.

Registration:

https://portal.acwa.com<http://link.coremotivesmarketing.com/c/306/9e6c48ff8208b344493aca5aad9ac618d1ca984cd1aceefd037e5ad1d2547bff>

ACWA Member Pre-Registration Fee: $25
Non-Member Pre-Registration Fee: $38

A $5 fee will be added to onsite registrations. Onsite registrations will be accommodated as space permits.

Registration fee includes continental breakfast, lunch, refreshments and materials.

Online registration deadline is September 4, 2016 or until space is full.  Onsite registrations will be accommodated as space permits. Cancellations must be received in writing by 5 p.m. on September 4, in order to cancel a registration and receive reimbursement. Substitutions can be made by requesting it in writing by September 4, 2016. After that date, substitutions can be handled onsite at the event. Event details are subject to change and registrants will be notified by e-mail if changes occur.

The California Department of Transportation officials have installed Memorial Highway signs to honor long-time El Dorado County resident Eugene “Gene” Chappie, in recognition of his four decades of service representing the residents of El Dorado County and the state of California.  Chappie died on May 31, 1992, at age 72 at his home in Georgetown, CA.

Gene was also a founder of the Mountain Counties Water Resources Association and Georgetown Divide Public Utilities District.

Michael Ranalli, Supervisor, County of El Dorado and John Kingsbury, Executive Director, Mountain Counties Water Resources Association. Photo by: Wally Dubois

On Saturday, June 18, 2016, County of El Dorado Supervisor Michael Ranalli hosted the ceremony to recognize Eugene Chappie’s service to El Dorado County, the region, and to California.

Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 2 Eugene “Gene” Chappie Memorial Highway

Interview with EUGENE A. CHAPPlE: California state Archives state Government Oral History Program Oral History 

Story from the Mountain Democrat

MCWRA program remarks: Gene Chappie

SONORA, CA: The Tuolumne Utilities District (TUD) is moving forward with design and permitting for the Phoenix Lake Preservation and Restoration Project (Project), which will improve the water quality and storage capacity of the lake.

See More:PhoenixLake_Barge_06162016 (1)

Contact: Lisa Westbrook June 16, 2016 Public Relations (209) 532-5536, x501

From the Mountain Counties Water Resources Association Event:

PCWA’s Andy Fecko looks at what projections for sea level rise and warming temperatures could potentially mean for water operations at Folsom and in the Delta

Climate change models predict a wide range of impacts that a warming climate will bring; most often discussed are warming temperatures, changing precipitation patterns, reduced snowpack, and rising sea levels.  In this presentation from the recent Mountain Counties Water Resources Association event, Andy Fecko, Director of Resource Development for the Placer County Water Agency, built his case for how these climate change impacts could affect operations at Folsom Reservoir and in the Delta.

Link to Mavens Notebook.  Here’s what Andy had to say.

Click here to see all of Mavens Notebook’s coverage on MCWRA 

Phil Isenberg with parting words of advice: ‘Whether the tunnels are built or not, the underlying problems must be addressed’

Phil Isenberg recently announced his retirement from the Delta Stewardship Counil, ending fifty years of public service in a career that has spanned from being mayor of Sacramento, serving in the state assembly, to chairing the Marine Life Protection Blue Ribbon Task Force, the Delta Vision Blue Ribbon Task Force, and most recently, the Delta Stewardship Council.

At the recent Mountain Counties Water Resources Association,Mr. Isenberg was given an award commemorating his many years of service.  Mountain Counties Ambassador Dave Breninger presented him with a plaque, calling him “great water warrior, and a gentleman who knows about the power of influence and the power of persuasion.”

The event also featured Phil Isenberg as the keynote speaker.  Here’s what Mr. Isenberg had to say. , by Mavens Notebook

See the Video by Gene Beley, Stockton

Left to Right: Dave Breninger, MCWRA Ambassador, Honorable Phil Isenberg, Scott Ratterman, Director, Calaveras County Water District & Vice President, MCWRA, John Kingsbury, Executive Director, MCWRA

The Sites Project, Joint Powers Authority is seeking additional entities to participate in the development of the Sites Reservoir Project.

Agencies interested in participating in the development of the Sites Reservoir Project should review the accompanying information and submit the requested documentation by 4:00 PM on July 29, 2016.  Current participation is being requested to support the Authority’s efforts to prepare an application to the California Water Commission in accordance with the requirements of Proposition 1, Chapter 8: Statewide Water System Operational Improvement and Drought Preparedness…..more

or contact:

Jim Watson, PE, General Manager, Sites Project Authority
530.410.8250
www.SitesJPA.net

For more from Jim Watson on the proposed Sites Reservoir, watch the video from the Mountain Counties Water Resources Association program:  THE CONQUEST FOR AND HISTORY OF “CALIFORNIA WATER” PAST-PRESENT-FUTURE

Video by: Gene Beley, Stockton: https://vimeo.com/168070393

From: Elisa Brown at the Sierra Nevada Conservancy

Grant Research Memos – Have you checked them out?

Over the past year, the Sierra Nevada Conservancy (SNC) Funding Team has produced nine grant research memos on subjects including environmental education, parks and trails, fuel reduction and forest restoration, and abandoned mine land remediation. Each research memo provides a summary of relevant funding opportunities, tips for successful applications, and a link to the appropriate web site. If you are looking for funding for your projects, this is a great place to start. You can find these memos on the Funding Opportunities Web Page.

Want to know what grants are coming up? The Funding Opportunities web page has an updated calendar of funding opportunities expected over the next several months.

 Upcoming grants that might be of interest:

• California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Watershed Restoration Grant Program (deadline June 24) provides planning, implementation, and acquisition funding for multi-benefit water quality, river, and watershed protection and restoration projects of statewide importance outside of the Delta area.
• National Park Service Rivers and Trails Conservation Grant (deadline June 30) provides facilitation and technical assistance for parks, rivers, trails, and greenways projects.
• Environmental Enhancement and Mitigation Grant (deadline July 12) provides funding for projects that mitigate impacts caused by highway construction in the vicinity of recreational lands. These include acquisition or enhancement of watersheds, wildlife habitat, wetlands, forests, or other significant natural areas.
• The Joseph and Vera Long Foundation (deadline August 29) seeks to conserve the natural environment of Northern California and Hawaii by supporting efforts in the areas of habitat preservation, access to public lands, environmental education, and scientific research. The Foundation supports projects that have realistic goals and benefits, and that are responsive to the needs of the local economy and community.
• Wildlife Conservation Board Streamflow Enhancement Grant (deadline August 31) focuses on enhancing stream flow in streams that support anadromous fish; support special status, threatened, endangered, or at-risk species; or provide resilience to climate change.
• CDFW Environmental Enhancement Fund Grant (deadline August 31) supports environmental enhancement projects that benefit fish and wildlife and are located within or immediately adjacent to any surface waters within the boundaries of the state.

Congratulations to the Fall River Resource Conservation District, the Mariposa Resource Conservation District, and the Sierra Institute for Community and Environment, all of which received U.S. Forest Service Wood Innovations grants for their biomass energy projects. In addition, the Northern California Community Loan Fund received a Wood Innovations grant to provide financing technical assistance to biomass and bioenergy projects. This will be a big boost to the biomass/bioenergy industry in the Region.

Your SNC Area Representative can help you set up an individual consultation with the SNC Funding Team to get advice about specific funding opportunities or general fund development strategies. To take advantage of this resource,contact your Area Representative.

Grant Writing Workshops are available to help build the capacity of organizations that serve the Sierra Nevada Region. If you are interested in organizing or attending a workshop, contact your Area Representative.

Amador Water Agency New Release:

Contact:    Gene Mancebo, General Manager, Amador Water Agency, 209-223-3018

(Sutter Creek)   At its May 26, 2016 meeting, the Amador Water Agency Board of Directors voted unanimously (4-0-1, Director Paul Molinelli absent) to declare an end to the Agency’s Stage 2 Drought Water Warning conservation restrictions in effect since April 9, 2015. In addition, the Water Shortage Surcharge approved in July, 2015 will be lifted, with no drought surcharge appearing on any water bill beginning July 1, 2016.

“We are very pleased to remove these state-mandated restrictions,” said AWA General Manager Gene Mancebo. “Customers are welcome to return to their normal landscape watering and use in homes and businesses, but encouraged to continue to use water wisely.”

This decision came after the State Water Resources Control Board made significant changes to statewide water conservation emergency regulations on May 18, which now allow water agencies to set conservation targets based on local water supplies.

AWA calculated its water supply based on the State Board’s guidelines and determined the Agency has an adequate supply of water and, even if the next three years are dry, will not experience a supply shortage. The Mokelumne River Basin received a little over 100% of average rain and snow this winter with Amador County storage reservoirs at capacity or filling.

“Our customers have done a tremendous job in conserving water to meet the state-mandated requirements and the Agency has made significant investment in infrastructure, resulting in millions of gallons of water conserved,” said Mancebo. “This has helped us get though some of the worst years of drought in California history.”

The Governor’s order makes permanent some water waste prohibitions, including irrigating lawns in a way that causes runoff, using non-recirculated water in a fountain or other decorative water feature, watering within 48 hours of precipitation, hosing off sidewalks and driveways, washing automobiles with hoses that do not have a shut-off nozzle, and the use of potable water to irrigate turf in street medians.

Water saving devices, including water conserving showerheads, toilet kits and faucet restrictors are available free to AWA customers at the AWA office. Additionally, customers in Lake Camanche, Amador City, Sutter Creek and Pioneer are eligible for free high-efficiency toilets and shower heads through the Vintage Home Retrofit program for disadvantaged communities, paid for by a grant from the Upper Mokelumne River Water Authority.

AWA’s Water Waste Prohibition remains in effect all year. The regulation gives the agency the ability to enforce prohibitions against water waste, with fines under certain circumstances.