Category: Delta tunnel

Delta Independent Science Board requests extension on Delta tunnel Draft EIR comments

~ Deirdre Des Jardins ~ 1 Comment

On September 2, 2022, Lisa Wainger, the new Chair of the Delta Independent Science Board, sent a letter to the Department of Water Resources Director, Karla Nemeth, asking for a 30 day extension of time to comment on the Delta Conveyance Project Draft EIR. The DISB Chair's letter gave the following reasons for asking for … Continue reading Delta Independent Science Board requests extension on Delta tunnel Draft EIR comments

Delta tunnel — Inconvenient truths about sea level rise and salinity intrusion

Polar ice sheet melting
~ Deirdre Des Jardins ~ 2 Comments

The Delta tunnel Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) has a new Sea Level Rise Study in Technical Appendix 5A-F. The study was done with Bay-Delta SCHISM, a 3-D hydrodynamic model of the San Francisco Bay and Delta. The new SCHISM study has limitations, in that it assumes that Delta levees are raised to keep up … Continue reading Delta tunnel — Inconvenient truths about sea level rise and salinity intrusion

Consideration of climate change in the Delta tunnel project

~ Deirdre Des Jardins ~ 1 Comment

The Department of Water Resources will be holding a webinar on consideration of climate change for the Delta tunnel project on August 25, 2021.  The following discussion is from my testimony in 2016 for Part 1A of the WaterFix Water Right Change Petition hearing. It explains some key problems with the consideration of shifts in … Continue reading Consideration of climate change in the Delta tunnel project

DWR Chief Engineer warned of climate change draining northern California reservoirs

~ Deirdre Des Jardins ~ 5 Comments

Governor Newsom’s drought emergency declaration is a direct consequence of the draining of Shasta, Folsom, and Oroville reservoirs by the Central Valley Project and State Water Project to export water from the Delta. Emergency operation of these major reservoirs will be a disaster for the Delta ecosystem, and will also have severe impacts on Delta … Continue reading DWR Chief Engineer warned of climate change draining northern California reservoirs

On the Delta Independent Science Board and Inconvenient Truths

~ Deirdre Des Jardins ~ 1 Comment

Remarks by Deirdre Des Jardins at the April 16, 2021 Delta Independent Science Board meeting. One of the most valuable contributions of the Delta Independent Science Board is when they speak inconvenient truths. One example of this is the BDCP / WaterFix project, which is a “hard” adaptation to climate change.  The locations for the … Continue reading On the Delta Independent Science Board and Inconvenient Truths

Delta Tunnel: Geologist takes leadership of engineering and design

~ Deirdre Des Jardins ~ Leave a comment

In March 2021, Kathryn Mallon resigned as Executive Director of the Delta Conveyance Design and Construction Authority (DCA.) The resignation came after labor negotiations with Metropolitan Water District's representatives on the DCA Board. The official story is that Mallon decided to seek other opportunities after finishing the initial engineering and design work for the project. … Continue reading Delta Tunnel: Geologist takes leadership of engineering and design

Delta Tunnel: DCA’s new bylaws allow MWD staff person to be Executive Director

~ Deirdre Des Jardins ~ Leave a comment

On February 18, 2021 the Delta Conveyance Design and Construction Authority (“DCA”) adopted new bylaws which allow the Executive Director to be a "member entity" staff person. On March 9, 2021, the DCA met in closed session to consider employment of the current Executive Director, Kathryn Mallon. Mallon is working under a 5 year contract … Continue reading Delta Tunnel: DCA’s new bylaws allow MWD staff person to be Executive Director

Delta Tunnel: MWD executives in labor negotiations with DCA Executive Director

~ Deirdre Des Jardins ~ Leave a comment

The new Board of Directors for the Delta Conveyance Design and Construction Authority ("DCA") has called a special meeting for Tuesday, March 9th from 3-5 pm.  The closed session agenda lists the following items with regard to the DCA's Executive Director, Kathryn Mallon: (a) Public Employee Performance Evaluation (b) Public Employment (c) Conference with Labor … Continue reading Delta Tunnel: MWD executives in labor negotiations with DCA Executive Director

Delta Tunnel: DCA submits Final Central and Eastern Corridor Conceptual Designs to DWR

~ Deirdre Des Jardins ~ Leave a comment

The Delta Conveyance Design and Construction Authority has completed the Engineering Product Reports for the Central and Eastern Corridor Options for the Delta tunnel, according to the February 2021 Board report. Deliverables included “engineering drawings, GIS mapbooks, and all associated technical memoranda (TMs).”  The DCA has also delivered draft documentation to DWR on the Bethany … Continue reading Delta Tunnel: DCA submits Final Central and Eastern Corridor Conceptual Designs to DWR

CWR comments on MWD vote on funding for Delta tunnel planning

~ Deirdre Des Jardins ~ 1 Comment

Deirdre Des Jardins, Director of California Water Research, provided these comments today to the Metropolitan Water District Board on their vote for funding for the next two years of Delta tunnel planning. Southern California needs real solutions for climate change, not hype.  Unfortunately the only information provided for the MWD Board vote today is hype. … Continue reading CWR comments on MWD vote on funding for Delta tunnel planning