ACWA’s eNews is a weekly roundup of California water news and events.
Senate Committee Advances Groundwater Bill
Submitted by Lisa Lien-Mager on Tue, 04/22/2014 – 1:42pm
Legislation aimed at addressing groundwater sustainability cleared the Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee today.
SB 1168 by Sen. Fran Pavley (D-Agoura Hills) in its current form would establish a statutory framework to achieve sustainable management of groundwater basins throughout the state. The author called the bill a “work in process” that could become part of other potential legislative vehicles to address groundwater issues this year.
State Board Approves Funds for Replacement Drinking Water in Disadvantaged Communities
Submitted by Pamela Martineau on Tue, 04/22/2014 – 1:57pm
The State Water Resources Control Board (State Board) today approved $4 million in funding to provide interim replacement drinking water for economically disadvantaged communities with contaminated water supplies.
The funding comes from the State Board’s Cleanup and Abatement Account (CAA). It is available through recently-signed drought legislation that makes it easier to work directly with state and local governments, nonprofits and tribal communities to ensure that communities in need receive interim replacement drinking water.
Comment Period Opens for Proposed Clean Water Act Rule
Submitted by Abby Schneider on Tue, 04/22/2014 – 2:38pm
On April 21 the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published in the Federal Register the proposed rule revising the definition of “waters of the United States” under the federal Clean Water Act. This formalizes the proposed changes released in draft form on March 25 and marks the beginning of a 90-day comment period that ends July 21, 2014.
Snowpack Rapidly Disappearing as Rainy Season Winds Down
Submitted by Lisa Lien-Mager on Mon, 04/21/2014 – 2:45pm
The Sierra snowpack is now just 18% of average, down from a seasonal high of 35% on April 7. According to snowpack data tracked by the California Data Exchange Center, some areas – including the Northern Sierra – lost half of the snow water content in a single week, largely due to unusually high temperatures in the West. In California, temperatures were 9-12 degrees above normal, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
USFWS to Truck More Salmon Smolts
Submitted by Pamela Martineau on Mon, 04/21/2014 – 2:37pm
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) announced Monday that it will this week truck and release about 4 million salmon smolts from the Coleman National Fish Hatchery to the Mare Island area of San Pablo Bay.
This week’s release is part of USFWS’s 2 ½-month drought contingency plan that is being operated in conjunction with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and the National Marine Fisheries Service. The plan calls for the transport and release of 12 million hatchery smolts in 2014 due to extreme drought conditions.
Late Winter Rains Bring Slight Increase in State and Federal Water Project Deliveries
Submitted by Pamela Martineau on Fri, 04/18/2014 – 1:12pm
Late winter rains have brought limited relief to California’s water delivery system allowing a small increase – from 0% to 5% — in the state’s initial water allocation estimate from the State Water Project. Federal deliveries from the Central Valley Project north of the Delta will rise from 40% to 75%, state and federal officials announced Friday.
First Wave of Drought Relief Food Assistance to Hit Food Banks in Early May
Submitted by Pamela Martineau on Thu, 04/17/2014 – 4:52pm
The California Department of Social Services’ (CDSS) on Thursday announced that food banks in 24 drought-impacted counties soon will be receiving shipments of the first $5.1 million in food assistance that was authorized under emergency drought legislation
The food assistance will begin to hit food bank shelves in early May, delivered directly to drought-impacted communities.
ACWA-Supported Water Bond Bills Headed for April 29 Hearing
Submitted by Lisa Lien-Mager on Thu, 04/17/2014 – 1:23pm
With action heating up on a modified water bond for the 2014 ballot, ACWA is actively supporting two bills expected to be heard April 29.
AB 2686 by Assembly Member Henry Perea (D-Fresno) will be heard in the Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee, while SB 1250 by Sen. Ben Hueso (D-San Diego) will be heard in the Senate Natural Resources Committee.
The bills closely reflect ACWA’s proposal for a modified water bond.
Climate and California Grasslands
Fri, 04/25/2014 – 8:45am – 4:30pm
Location:
21905 County Road 88, Winters
DEADLINE to register is fast approaching!
7th Annual Field Day at Hedgerow
Central Valley Water Board Workshop on Proposed Drinking Water Discharge Permit
Tue, 04/29/2014 – 1:00pm – 4:00pm
Location:
Sacramento Suburban Water District, 7800 Antelope Rd., Antelope
The Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board will hold a workshop April 29 on a region-specific proposed drinking water discharge permit.
The draft NPDES permit and information sheet are available on the Central Valley Water Board Website here.
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
ACWA General Session Membership Meeting
Wed, 05/07/2014 – 1:30pm – 2:00pm
Location:
ACWA Spring Conference & Exhibition, Monterey; Portola Plaza Hotel, De Anza Ballroom
There will be a General Session meeting of the ACWA membership at ACWA’s 2014 Spring Conference in Monterey on Wednesday, May 7. The purpose of this meeting is to conduct a vote by the membership on proposed amendments to the bylaws recommended by the ACWA Board of Directors at its meeting of March 28.
State Water Board Workshop on Proposed Statewide Drinking Water Permit
Mon, 05/12/2014 – 1:00pm – 4:00pm
Location:
San Diego Water Authority Office, 4677 Overland Ave., San Diego, CA
The State Water Resources Control Board will hold a workshop May 12 to provide information to stakeholders on the development of a statewide drinking water discharge permit.
The proposed statewide permit will be a new statewide general National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit as required by the Clean Water Act, section 402 for point source discharges to surface waters. A workshop announcement, fact sheet and proposed language excerpts are available here.
Information on Proposed Statewide Permit
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.
SAVE THE DATE! ACWA Region 3 & MCWRA Joint Program – 6/6/14, Placerville, CA
Fri, 06/06/2014
Location:
Placerville, CA
SAVE THE DATE!
Join us on June 6th, 2014 to hear statewide water leaders discuss
pieces of and solutions to California’s water puzzle
at the
MCWRA & ACWA Region 3
California Water Leaders FORUM 2014
Date: June 6, 2014
Registration: 9:30 AM
2014 California Adaptation Forum!
Tue, 08/19/2014 – Wed, 08/20/2014
Location:
Sheraton Grand Sacramento Hotel
The Local Government Commission and the State of California are orga
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.
