NoDeltaTunnels.com / NoDeltaGates.com
I just found out that AmazonSmile has a triple donation promotion on now – ends on March 31! So one week only! Amazon is tripling the donation amount to 1.5% when customers make their first eligible smile.amazon.com purchase from now through March 31.
3x your impact! Amazon is tripling the donation rate on your first smile.amazon.com purchase – through March 31! Go to smile.amazon.com/ch/27-1326502 and Amazon donates to Save the California Delta Alliance.
Because I attended a meeting in Bethel Island in January, they asked me to send in comments on the Draft Franks Tract Feasibility Project Proposal. Sorry to say, I wasn’t really that supportive. The draft wasn’t that much different from the original proposal. There were a series of meetings with Bethel Island and other Stakeholders. That information was dutifully captured in this new draft. But it didn’t change the proposal. Similar to the BDCP/WaterFix, they meet, they say they “listen,” and move on with their original concept.
Here are the comments I submitted.
I commented is that there must be better places to put this smelt habitat area and not destroy the primary Northern California bass fishing area (a State Recreational Area) and also destroy the community of Bethel Island. The first site that comes to mind is Webb Tract. It’s just north of Franks, actually better flow-wise so smelt would migrate north, and it’s already owned by Metropolitan Water District (the entity that is funding the report) so they can easily do with Webb Tract what they want.
In my comments about the plan, one of my concerns is that they never quantify the economic loss to Northern California from killing the bass fishing industry.
Another problem to me is that nowhere in the document do I see any reference to the homes and marinas that now look out on the portion of Franks Tract that is planned as a “tidal marsh” where the view is considered of value and probably part of the home value/worth. Yet this is where they plan to pile mud and make it a mud pond. They don’t talk about the vegetation they would plant, what it would look like, the new view. They don’t talk about the smell from tunnel muck or mosquito abatement. Very worrisome.
But bottom line, this sums it up for me. Their report says on page 29: “Most stakeholders strongly objected to the location and configuration of the proposed tidal marsh restoration areas in Franks and Little Franks Tract because it would block some marina and boat traffic to residential areas. Alternative configurations are possible that will have less impact on local communities and economies.“
My comment was, “Re-read that part please. ‘Strongly objected to the location and configuration.’ To me, that should drive the conclusion, but the conclusion is full-speed ahead on the current location and configuration.”
That’s the problem. They gather information, but the conclusions, the plan doesn’t change. Just like the tunnels.
The report also said: “Meetings and conversations about this proposed restoration approach have begun to build trust and more open communication between state agencies involved in restoration efforts and the general public.”
That’s the problem we’ve been having with all of these state agency projects. They may have meetings. We present our comments. The BDCP even held “In-Delta Meetings” in the Brentwood Library where young admins took down our concerns and left, not really understanding our concerns or properly documenting them. They leave and nothing changes.
What these agencies don’t understand is that conversations are two-way streets. We don’t want to just talk and then next reiteration of the project has no significant changes. This draft does capture our concerns, in words. But nothing changes. Our concerns don’t change the recommendations or the conclusion.
That isn’t “listening.” That is simply understanding the objections but then, regardless, moving ahead.
The Press’ new article: Franks Tract restoration project under fire (Delta smelt at center of state’s plan).
“The Division of Fish and Wildlife’s plan to ‘restore’ Franks Tract is another assault on the Delta and its people by the Natural Resources Agency,” said Bill Wells, executive director of the California Delta Chambers & Visitor’s Bureau. “John Laird, Charleton H. Bonham and Carl Wilcox should all be held personally responsible for any damage to the economy and the ecosystem in and around Franks Tract. Since the island flooded in 1937 it has been a paradise for wildlife and sportsmen. It is on the Pacific Flyway and visited by thousands of waterfowl each year. It is also prime habitat for many species of fish.”
Jim Frazier strongly objects to this project: ““As co-chair of the Delta Caucus, I see this effort by the administration to establish a ‘habitat’ project is clearly a cover for the irresponsible tunnels proposal and will worsen the reckless overpumping of the Delta,” said California 11th District Assemblymember Jim Frazier, a vocal opponent of WaterFix, in an email to The Press. “Franks Tract is a state park and a primary way into and out of the Delta. Over the decades, it has become a paradise for anglers and recreationalists. This project will wreak havoc on our marinas, boaters and fishermen in the Delta District and severely impact our culture. This reckless plan again puts the big money interests in the south over the people of the Delta.”
From the article, California Department of Fish & Wildlife’s Carl Wilcox “stated, however, that both Franks Tract and Little Franks Tract are choked with non-native vegetation and invasive species like black bass are predators of the native Delta smelt and juvenile salmon.”
That’s so misleading and going down the wrong path.
No – this is not a project that will do anything to help the communities of the Delta, only the influential water exporters.
FAKE NEWS !!!!!
Don’t believe everything you read. Although the State Agencies are spending their marketing money trying to spin information to make you believe in the Delta Tunnels. Desperate Times call for desperate measures, I guess.
If you’ve received this in your email box from the WaterFix, know it is 100 percent bogus. News this fake should be illegal.
THE DATA BELOW IS FAKE AND WRONG:
WRONG, WRONG, WRONG.
The actual PPIC survey, quoted, says:
With disappointing rainfall and snow pack totals this winter and talk of another possible drought, 53 percent of likely voters say that the supply of water is a big problem in their part of the state. Asked about the governor’s proposal to build tunnels in the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta—starting with one tunnel and later adding a second—42 percent of likely voters say this is very important for the future quality of life and economic vitality of California.
Californians will vote in June on Proposition 68 to fund water infrastructure projects. Asked if they would vote for such a bond measure, two-thirds of likely voters (66%) say they would vote yes. An overwhelming majority of Democrats (78%) and a strong majority of independents (66%) say they would vote yes, compared to about half of Republicans (51%).
Somehow, the WaterFix people took “78 percent of Democrats want improved water infrastructure” PLUS only “42 percent say this [WaterFix] is very important” and ended up with “78 want WaterFix.” Maybe it’s new math?
BUT WAIT, Prop 68 isn’t even all about “improved water infrastructure.” The title of Prop 68 is: “Drought, Water, Parks, Climate, Coastal Protection, and Outdoor Access for All Act of 2018.”
So:
78 percent of Democrats want Drought, Water, Parks, Climate, Coastal Protection, and Outdoor Access for All
+ PLUS 42 percent say WaterFix is important
= 78 Percent of Californians want WaterFix
New math?
Save the California Delta Alliance is now one of the sponsored charities for Amazon! For any product you buy there, Amazon will make a donation to STCDA!
But first, you need to register Save the California Delta Alliance as your Amazon preferred charity. It’s as easy as 1-2-3.
You will then be reminded to always go to smile.amazon.com for your purchases. They also give you an optional way to add smile.amazon.com to your favorites:
NOTE: If you forget and start shopping have items in your cart, just type “smile.amazon.com” before you check out. Your items will still be there and STCDA will get a donation.
Thank you for your support!
Sacramento — Part 2 of the State Water Resources Control Board’s Hearing on the WaterFix Water Right Change Petition (aka Delta tunnels) has been ongoing since February 22, 2018. On March 14,15, and 16, 2018, the County of San Joaquin, the San Joaquin County Flood Control and Water Conservation District, Local Agencies of the North Delta, and the South and Central Delta Water Agencies presented testimony by a geotechnical engineer and the principal engineer for many of the Reclamation Districts in the Delta. The engineers testified on the inadequacy of the preliminary engineering for the Delta tunnels, and the resulting risks to the project, and to people and property in the Delta.
Read California Water Research’s full report here: https://cah2oresearch.com/2018/03/20/waterfix-hearing-tunnels-not-being-designed-to-withstand-maximum-earthquake-in-the-delta/
We haven’t heard from “On the Public Record” for a while – but this blog really is special:
Thoughts on Araxs Kingdom (Stewart Resnick and Almonds)”. As everyone said, “Mark Arax’s reporting on the Resnicks‘ involvement in Kern is wonderful.”
From the article:
A couple things surprised me. I just didn’t expect an illegal, self-installed pipeline. When I talk about how hard it is to move water, I wasn’t expecting someone with infinite money, nor completely unpermitted small-scale infrastructure. I never imagined a public agency doing that, yet Dudley Ridge WD and Lost Hills WD allowed it (more on that later).
I was also surprised to read that Wonderful doesn’t hassle with precision agriculture. I think I remember from Arax’s book, King of California, that the Boswell Farming Company paid a lot of attention to detail. At a recent irrigation conference, I was surprised at the extent of technology some farming companies use to improve their yields or their profit margins. I wonder what is being lost by their acceptance of “mediocre” yields; they might be missing the first few years of declining yields from salinity
***
Stewart Resnick appears to have zero understanding of climate change. His description of a five-year drought as a surprising piece of bad luck and not the aridification that the past twenty years of climate modeling has consistently predicted means that he still doesn’t appreciate it. Stewart Resnick says that he has hired good people, but if none of them have been planning for climate change (aridification and loss of chilling hours) then they are not doing their jobs.
We just received the draft proposal from the California Fish & Wildlife on the study being funded by Metropolitan Water District to alter Franks Tract. Stated goals are to decrease salinity influx (so they can pump more water than they should down south) and to improve Delta Smelt habitat (so there’s less pressure to stop the pumps due to the Smelt getting caught in them).
I will post my review as soon as I can, but wanted to let you all take a peak now.
FranksSummarySecondDraft3-13-2018v.
I’ll study it more, but the opening remarks set me off (sorry).
“Franks Tract is located in the heart of the Delta near the confluence of the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers. This 3,300 acre flooded island is a hot spot for invasive plants and native fish predators, not to mention a hydrodynamic conduit for saltwater intrusion into waterways used to convey freshwater supplies to cities and agriculture. Franks Tract is also one of the least subsided, and largest, islands in the Central Delta and a strong candidate for partial restoration.”
So the “predators” are bass (which the economy of Bethel Island and much of Northern California relies on). And the only reason there’s saltwater intrusion through Franks Tract is because they are exporting too much fresh water via the pumps. Grrrr. This is not science, this is all political.
Okay – I’ll take a few deep breaths and then will do a more objective review.
We should probably stop calling it “drought”: John Fleck, author of “Water is for Fighting Over (and Other Myths about Water in the West)” writes, “Colorado River Basin Managers are working on what they call a “Drought Contingency Plan” to reduce water use, but that’s probably a bad name to describe what’s going on: We should probably stop calling it ‘drought.’ “
I think the same thing applies here, in California.
He goes on to explain in his white paper (read more here), that to most people, the word drought contains two concepts. The first is the lack of available water, primarily a function of below normal precipitation. Second is the notion that the condition is temporary – a deviation from a norm that is expected to eventually return. Aridity, in contrast, refers to a dryness that is permanent, and is a function of natural (and presumably stable) climatic conditions. He argues that perhaps a better term is aridification, which describes a period of transition to an increasingly water scarce environment—an evolving new baseline around which future extreme events (droughts and floods) will occur.
In another recent blog, “Understanding California’s Water Culture, Rina Valetti who received her Ph.D. in Art History created a recent art display depicting the effect of water on California, and saying “Water is a cultural commodity.”
She goes on to say, “We’re always teetering on that edge between scarcity and excess. What’s enough? What’s not enough? We develop water supplies that create the need that the supply is purporting to meet. It’s a conundrum. And California’s water culture exemplifies the conundrum.”
I agree. By making Central Valley farmers feel that they are entitled to more water (via paper contracts) than exists in the system, we have lead them on into expanding almond orchards ad infinitum. That has created the demand to continue to export more and more water, more than the Delta can afford to loose.
We need to admit that we live in an arid climate, that not only can’t we continue to try to export more water via the Delta Tunnels or any other means, the fact is we need to start to reduce exports now and balance the expectation with the reality of the future projected drying trends throughout the West.
The State Water Board is proposing common-sense conservation rules, like not letting water run down the sidewalk into the storm drain (i.e., using a shut-off on the hose when washing your car). It makes sense. California is becoming more arid every year (even though there may be a year here or there with more water the overall trend is drying).
This didn’t surprise me: Groups concerned about the proposed conservation rules includes the state’s farm lobby. They fear rules on urban water usage could eventually lead to regulations on the types of crops farmers can irrigate. “There’s the potential they’ll make similar decisions encroaching on agriculture,” Mike Wade of the California Farm Water Coalition said in an interview.
Haha – That’s EXACTLY what needs to happen. Central Valley rich corporate farmers have been profiting from water-thirsty almonds grown in the middle of the desert for far too long. Conservation is the best way to start to improve California’s long-term water picture.
Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/news/state/california/water-and-drought/article205092679.html#emlnl=Alerts_Newsletter#storylink=cpy
Save the California Delta Alliance (STCDA) 