Diversions by Sacramento Settlement Contractors and CVP Permits

~ Deirdre Des Jardins ~ 1 Comment

California Water Research submitted comments on the State Water Resources Control Board's Water Unavailability Methodology which raised the issue that Reclamation has never fully complied with CVP permit terms that require reporting of the total amount diverted under Reclamation’s CVP water rights at the Sacramento Settlement Contractors’ points of diversion. While Reclamation is reporting daily … Continue reading Diversions by Sacramento Settlement Contractors and CVP Permits

TUCP: California Water Research asks Water Board to require report on 2021 runoff forecast errors

NWS May 2021 snowpack
~ Deirdre Des Jardins ~ 1 Comment

California Water Research filed a protest of the May 17 Temporary Urgency Change Petition by the California Department of Water Resources and the US Bureau of Reclamation. We requested that the State Water Resources Control Board require a written report by DWR and USBR on the methodology used for the runoff forecast used in this … Continue reading TUCP: California Water Research asks Water Board to require report on 2021 runoff forecast errors

California Water Research calls for formal consideration of Delta Independent Science Board compensation

Transparency
~ Deirdre Des Jardins ~ Leave a comment

At the May 21, 2021 Delta Stewardship Council meeting, Deirdre Des Jardins, Director of California Water Research, called for the Delta Stewardship Council to formally consider compensation for the Delta Independent Science Board at the next meeting. The request was supported by comments of Councilmember Don Nottoli. OK, this is Deirdre Des Jardins with California … Continue reading California Water Research calls for formal consideration of Delta Independent Science Board compensation

Delta Stewardship Council members call for resolution of Delta Independent Science Board funding crisis

Delta Stewardship Council meeting 5-21
~ Deirdre Des Jardins ~ 1 Comment

At the Delta Stewardship Council's May 21, 2021 meeting, the Delta Independent Science Board Chair, Stephen Brandt gave a presentation on the Independent Science Board's Invasive Species report.  The presentation concluded with a plea for restoration of compensation for the Independent Science Board so they could continue their work. Councilmember Frank Damrell asked about Senate … Continue reading Delta Stewardship Council members call for resolution of Delta Independent Science Board funding crisis

State Water Contractors objected to development of a drought operations strategy for the State Water Project and Central Valley Project

Lake Oroville March 2021
~ Deirdre Des Jardins ~ 1 Comment

Our May 10, 2021 blog post, DWR Chief Engineer warned of climate change draining Northern California reservoirs explained how Francis Chung, the Department of Water Resources’ Bay-Delta modeling chief, sounded the alarm in 2010 that climate change could drain major Northern California reservoirs. Chung recommended that DWR develop a reoperation strategy for the State Water Project … Continue reading State Water Contractors objected to development of a drought operations strategy for the State Water Project and Central Valley Project

Delta Stewardship Council guts independent peer review in the Delta Science Program

~ Deirdre Des Jardins ~ 2 Comments

In 2000, California state and federal agencies made a commitment to using the best available science for management of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. The 2000 CALFED Record of Decision made a 30 year commitment to “bring world-class science to all elements of the program; ecosystem restoration, water supply reliability, water use efficiency and conservation, water … Continue reading Delta Stewardship Council guts independent peer review in the Delta Science Program

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

Facing reduced funding, Delta Independent Science Board considers changing scientific reviews

Delta ISB meeting
~ Deirdre Des Jardins ~ 1 Comment

At the Delta Independent Science Board’s May 4, 2021 meeting, the board members will discuss potentially restructuring thr Delta Independent Science Board's scientific reviews. Due to a lack of funding for board members to do the scientific reviews themselves, the board is considering changing the structure of reviews to rely more on staff. As mandated … Continue reading Facing reduced funding, Delta Independent Science Board considers changing scientific reviews

The “greedy” strategy for SWP and CVP reservoir operations

~ Deirdre Des Jardins ~ 4 Comments

Current operations of the State Water Project and Central Valley Project reservoirs in the Sacramento Valley are an example of a greedy strategy.[1] Under the greedy strategy, the system operators export as much water as possible in any given year. The strategy results in maximum water deliveries in a given year, but with the risk … Continue reading The “greedy” strategy for SWP and CVP reservoir operations

The State Water Project was originally designed for a six year drought

Lake Oroville March 2021
~ Deirdre Des Jardins ~ 1 Comment

A 1983 Bulletin by the Department of Water Resources (Bulletin 160-83) [1] documents that Oroville reservoir was designed to provide long-term carryover storage and reliable water deliveries in case of a repeat of the 1928-1934 drought. The Department of Water Resources  proposed in the same Bulletin 160-83 to change State Water Project operations to take … Continue reading The State Water Project was originally designed for a six year drought