Tag: Central Valley Project

Will ruling on pre-1914 curtailments force the Water Board to track stored water?

~ Deirdre Des Jardins ~ 1 Comment

On September 12th, 2022, the Sixth District Court of Appeal issued a ruling that the State Water Resources Control Board did not have the authority to curtail pre-1914 water rights under Water Code section 1052(a).  This code section provides that “The diversion or use of water subject to this division other than as authorized in … Continue reading Will ruling on pre-1914 curtailments force the Water Board to track stored water?

Voluntary Agreement framework consolidates power and inequities in California water

inclusion exclusion
~ Deirdre Des Jardins ~ 1 Comment

The California Natural Resources agency released a Voluntary Agreement framework on Monday, March 29, 2022. The framework has been hailed as a "peace" agreement. Reading the Memorandum of Understanding, I find Hisham Ziuaddeen’s synthesis of how power operates across hierarchies of caste, gender, sexuality, ableness and class to be profoundly relevant. Ziuaddeen observed that power … Continue reading Voluntary Agreement framework consolidates power and inequities in California water

On the framework of power in California water – comments to the Delta Stewardship Council

Metropolitan Water District building
~ Deirdre Des Jardins ~ 4 Comments

These comments were made to the Delta Stewardship Council at the October 28, 2021 meeting. I wanted to share with you some thoughts from Hisham Ziuaddeen, a psychiatrist and neuroscientist at University of Cambridge. He talked about frameworks of power. And I realized there is a framework of power in California water, and it determines: … Continue reading On the framework of power in California water – comments to the Delta Stewardship Council

A brief history of the water wars — comments to the Delta ISB

~ Deirdre Des Jardins ~ 1 Comment

On Thursday March 10, 2022, the Delta Independent Science Board received presentations from Brooke Jacobs of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife on the Incidental Take Permit, and from Cathy Marcinkevage of the National Marine Fisheries Service and Kaylee Allen of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service on the Biological Opinions on the … Continue reading A brief history of the water wars — comments to the Delta ISB

For California water management, delay is denial of climate change impacts

~ Deirdre Des Jardins ~ Leave a comment

Climate scientist Michael Mann wrote an Op Ed in the LA Times, On the climate crisis, delay has become the new form of denial. The Op Ed has many concepts that resonate with what is happening with California water management. Mann argues: One can no longer credibly deny that climate change is real, human-caused, and a … Continue reading For California water management, delay is denial of climate change impacts

DWR 2006 study: “too much risk” taken with reservoir operations

~ Deirdre Des Jardins ~ 2 Comments

In 2006, for the first California Climate Assessment, DWR published a study of operations of the State Water Project and Central Valley Project with climate change. The report was titled, "Progress on Incorporating Climate Change Into Management of California’s Water Resources." DWR's 2006 modeling predicted the current crisis, with Shasta, Folsom, and Oroville reservoirs being … Continue reading DWR 2006 study: “too much risk” taken with reservoir operations

Delta Protection Commission, Water Board express support for restoring funding to the Delta ISB

~ Deirdre Des Jardins ~ 1 Comment

Both the Delta Protection Commission and the Water Board expressed strong support for restoring funding for the Delta Independent Science Board at their meetings this month. The Delta Protection Commission voted unanimously to send a letter of support for SB 821 to the legislature. At the August 5, 2021 Delta Protection Commission meeting, the Commissioners … Continue reading Delta Protection Commission, Water Board express support for restoring funding to the Delta ISB

Comments to the White House Scientific Integrity Fast-Track Action Committee

Signs saying respect ethics scientific integrity
~ Deirdre Des Jardins ~ 2 Comments

On January 27, 2021, President Biden issued a Memorandum on Restoring Trust in Government Through Scientific Integrity and Evidence-Based Policymaking. The Memorandum directed the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) to convene an interagency task force to review the effectiveness of scientific integrity policies of federal agencies in preventing improper political interference … Continue reading Comments to the White House Scientific Integrity Fast-Track Action Committee

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

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