ACWA’s eNews is a weekly roundup of California water news and events.
House Holds Hearing on Reclamation Budget
The House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water and Power, on Tuesday, held a hearing on the Bureau of Reclamation’s FY2015 budget request. The Obama Administration has requested $1 billion for the Bureau, on par with the previous year’s request.
AB 1331 Clears Senate Committee; New Bond Bill Emerges
Legislation that would place an $8 billion water bond on the November ballot cleared the Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee March 25 after a lengthy hearing.
AB 1331 by Assembly Member Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood) was approved with amendments on a 7-2 vote. The proposed bond would authorize $1 billion in funding for safe drinking water projects, $1.5 billion for protecting rivers, streams and watersheds, $2 billion for regional drought preparedness and water reliability projects, $1 billion for Delta sustainability and $2.5 billion for water storage.
Delta Waterway Cleanup Program Includes Watershed Stewardship Training for School Kids
The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy is co-hosting two environmental education activities in the Delta as part of its spring Delta Waterway Cleanup effort.
Proposed Rule Clarifies Clean Water Act Protections
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued on Tuesday, March 25, a proposed clarification to waters protected under the federal Clean Water Act.
The proposed rule appears to expand protections by categorizing most intermittent and ephemeral streams as well as wetlands located near rivers and streams as protected under the Clean Water Act. The move potentially could put more waterways under federal jurisdiction.
USFWS Begins Trucking Juvenile Salmon to Protect Them From Drought
The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) today began trucking juvenile salmon from the Coleman National Fish Hatchery in Anderson to a site on the lower Sacramento River near Rio Vista in an effort to protect the smolt from drought conditions.
States and Water Associations Request Full Funding for Streamgages
A broad coalition of states and water organizations is again urging the federal government to fully fund the nation’s network of streamgages, calling them “essential” in the face of drought and flooding impacts.
March 21 ACWA News Now Available Online
The March 21 edition of ACWA News is now available online. This issue’s top story details how the association is working on a bipartisan basis to build support around water bond measures that can succeed in the Legislature and with the electorate. Ten water bond bills currently are alive and ACWA remains firmly engaged in the discussions.
Other stories this issue include:
California Water Policy 23: Tangled Up In Blue
Thu, 04/03/2014 – Fri, 04/04/2014
Location:
The Roberts Environmental Center at Claremont McKenna College
The California Water Policy conference is set for April 3-4 at Claremont McKenna College.
2014 Green California Summit and Exposition
Mon, 04/07/2014 – 1:00pm – Wed, 04/09/2014 – 5:00pm
Location:
Sacramento Convention Center, 1400 J Street, Sacramento, CA 95814
Event and registration information here.
Paying for Water in California
Thu, 04/10/2014 – 9:00am – 2:00pm
Location:
Sacramento Convention Center, 1400 J Street, Rooms 202/203, Sacramento
Registration information here.
Climate Change and the Future of Groundwater in California
Wed, 04/16/2014
Location:
UC Davis Conference Center (Davis, CA)
The 2nd Annual Climate Change Water and Society (CCWAS) IGERT State of the Science workshop is here! “Climate Change and the Future of Groundwater in California” aims to bring together scientists, water managers, policy and decision makers, engineers and other interested stakeholders to identify key challenges and solutions for a sustainable groundwater future.
Fire Ecosystem Forest Managment & Water Yield Symposium
Fri, 05/02/2014 – 9:00am – 4:30pm
Location:
USFS Wildland Fire Training Center, McClellan, CA
Water yield and Sierra forest management has emerged as a critical issue. Severe drought, increasingly massive fire incidents, fuel loaded forests, and climate change trends combined have forced re-evaluation of watershed forest management methods to increase water supply (and power production), protect forests from catastrophic fires, and build resilience to climate change effects.
ACWA 2014 Spring Conference & Exhibition
Tue, 05/06/2014 – Fri, 05/09/2014
Location:
Portola and Marriott Hotels, Monterey
Event and Registration Information
Conference Exhibitor Information
Conference Sponsorship Information
O.C. Water Summit
Fri, 05/16/2014
Location:
Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel, Anaheim
Presented by the Orange County Water District, the Municipal Water District of Orange County and Disneyland Resort, the Summit brings together more than 500 Southern California business professionals with international, national and state water industry stakeholders, elected officials, environmentalists, scientists and community leaders to discuss ongoing global water issues and how water supply challenges impact our economy and public safety. Prominent authors, world-renowned experts and distinguished speakers will also be a part of this critical dialogue.
IWA Watershed Management Conference
Tue, 09/09/2014 – 9:00am – Fri, 09/12/2014 – 5:00pm
Location:
San Francisco
The International Water Association is holding a specialists’ conference for water basin science and management Sept. 9 to 12 in San Francisco.
Submissions of abstracts of research may be submitted by March 3 for consideration of presentation at the conference. Abstracts may be submitted here.
