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Friday, February 24, 2006 Quote of the Day: “We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars." Oscar Wilde (Thanks to Robin Bier for this one. Born on this Day: Enrico Caruso Abe Vigoda John Vernon Michel Legrand Linda Cristal James Farentino George Harrison Barry Bostwick Rupert Holmes Helen Shaver Paula Zahn Eddie Murray Sammy Kershaw Michelle Shocked and Billy Zane On this Day in 1863: Arizona was organized as a territory. Sent to more than 23,000 readers nationwide... and thousands more via our lineup of online ads like the one above that appears on watertechonline.com Latest postings: Laguna Beach County Water District: Community Relations Specialist Yuba County Water Agency: Hydroelectric Powerplant Operator Yuba County Water Agency: Assistant Power Systems Manager Inland Empire Utilities Agency: WWT Operator OIT to Gr. V San Bernardino Municipal Water Department: Director of Finance Want more? See all postings.     SPECIAL REPORT     Supreme Court considers   reach of Clean Water Act > Case tests court's wetlands leanings > Roberts, Scalia see limits to the reach of act >Justices to study scope of '72 Clean Water Act > Supreme Court cases threaten scope act > Supreme Court to hear suits on dry-river laws >Water wars await Alito in debut on high court >Water users have voice in Washington, D.C. Other views: > Challenge to act endangers nation's streams > Supreme Court takes a long, tall drink > Protect upstream waters > Restore, strengthen Clean Water Act > RFK Jr.: Destroying the Clean Water Act > Challenge endangers nation's streams   Today's News —  Water Security NYC water system map on stolen computer (NY Sun, 2/23) "New York City's water supply could be the target of contamination if a water system map made its way into the wrong hands, an environmentalist said." —  Water Supply Clash brews over tainted waters (LA Times, 2/24) "If ever you doubted the dictum often attributed to Mark Twain that in the West whiskey is for drinking but water is for fighting over, the New River stands as proof. Long branded the dirtiest river in America, this aquatic nightmare slithers into the United States from Mexico through this border city in the Imperial Valley." Raise prices to pay for water projects (NC Times, 2/24) Editorial. "California's water system is undeniably socialist. A real water market ---- capitalism, in other words ---- would allocate supplies to those who want it fairly and efficiently. No taxes required." IID-San Diego deal sparks debate (Imperial Valley Press, 2/23) "A settlement with San Diego County Water Authority that frees $3.5 million to help those hurt by fallowing Imperial Valley farmland was approved by a 3-2 Imperial Irrigation District board vote Tuesday." —  Water Quality Grants proposed to stop perchlorate (LA Daily News, 2/24) "A bill introduced in Congress by two California lawmakers could provide $50 million to clean up contamination by the rocket-fuel ingredient perchlorate in their home state, but it would likely amount to little for decontamination of local sites." Latest tests show Camp Pendleton water OK (North County Times, 2/23) "More than six months after unsafe levels of lead were found in water on Camp Pendleton, extensive tests of the water supplies to base schools, homes and other facilities have not revealed any violations of state or federal standards for lead, Marine Corps officials said Wednesday." —  Levees Governor, lawmakers underscore the need to repair delta levees (San Diego Union-Tribune, 2/23) "Sacramento could suffer catastrophic flooding unless the river levees in the region are repaired quickly, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sen. Dianne Feinstein and other officials warned yesterday after a helicopter tour." Levees 'one big earthquake away from a disaster' (Stockton Record, 2/23) "Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger stood with several elected officials on a Sacramento River levee Wednesday afternoon and asked the federal government to help fix it - and 1,600 miles of levees like it - before disaster strikes." Powell says wetlands, levees vital to Louisiana (Associated Press, 2/22) "Building higher levees isn't the sole solution to protecting this city and the rest of low-lying south Louisiana from killer hurricanes, President Bush's adviser on Gulf Coast recovery said Thursday." —  Surface Water Clear Lake to undergo new round of monitoring (Lake County Record – Bee, 2/23) "County officials are looking for ways to pay for new state and federal rules that require monitoring Clear Lake's nutrient composition while, at the same time, offering no funds to do it. " —  Endangered Species Act Report a boost for Pombo's ESA goals (Stockton Record, 2/23) "Two critical concepts in Tracy Rep. Richard Pombo's proposed overhaul of the federal Endangered Species Act should guide the U.S. Senate's attempts to reform the 23-year-old law, according to the initial findings of a group senators commissioned to help them prepare their legislation." Species act rewrite includes landowner payments (Modesto Bee, 2/23) Guest Columnist. "Efforts to update and modernize the Endangered Species Act are an emotional topic for many, with opinions ranging from completely repealing the act to not changing a single word." —  The Nukes Radioactive water leaks from tanker (Associated Press, 2/24) "Low-level radioactive water from a Southern California nuclear power plant being shipped to Utah for disposal has leaked at a truck stop parking lot in that state's southwest." —  Meetings “Nitrate in California’s Groundwater: Are We Making Progress?” (GRA News Release, 2/23) April 4  "Nitrate in groundwater is a widespread and persistent problem in California. The activities that contribute nitrate to groundwater – animal operations, crop fertilization, wastewater treatment discharge, septic systems – are essential to the economy of California." —  Local/Agency News Water fees could surge in Oceano (SLO Tribune, 2/24) "Oceano residents can expect their next water bills to be significantly higher. The five-member Oceano Community Services District board of directors voted this week to increase water fees for the average homeowner by about $29 every two months." Lode water agency adopts new policy for investments (Stockton Record, 2/24) "The agency that pumps water to thousands of Calaveras County homes is vowing to get better at pumping money as well." Proposed amendment could dam FLOW's efforts (Santa Cruz Sentinel, 2/24) "A proposed amendment to the state Constitution has recently surfaced that, if passed, could negate the past four years of efforts by water crusaders in Felton." New appointment for Seaside water panel (Monterey County Herald, 2/24) "Michelle Knight, Monterey Peninsula Water Management District's chairwoman, was named to represent the district on the newly organized Seaside Groundwater Basin Watermaster board Thursday." DWR schedules March snow survey (DWR News Releasel, 2/23) "The next snow survey by the California Department of Water Resources will take place at 11 a.m. Wednesday, March 1, 2006, near Lake Tahoe. "  Reclamation engineers recognized for contributions during National Engineers Week (Bureau of Rec, News Release, 2/23) "Reclamation Commissioner John Keys recognized Reclamation engineers today for their contributions during the past year. These achievements were among those recognized during the 2006 National Engineers Week, February 19-25." —  Everything Else Water officials flush urinal legislative plans (NC Times, 2/24) "Regional water officials decided Thursday to put off pushing for state legislation to protect waterless urinals ---- but to continue offering cash incentives to promote their use, despite objections from plumbers who called them dangerous." Calif. policy prompts downsize in Gerlach plant (Reno Gazette Journal, 2/24) "Sempra Energy is considering downsizing its proposed 1,200-megawatt, coal-fired power plant project near Gerlach because of new energy policies in California to curb global warming."   About the California Water News The California Water News is a weekday e-mail with links to current news stories in the California water resources industry.  Subscription is free to qualified persons!  Please go to our subscription page to subscribe.  For more information, you can also see some frequently asked questions. Referrals to new subscribers are welcome, as are suggestions for new links, news stories, opinion pieces, and your agency's press releases.   Any documents you e-mail us may be published on our web site and linked to from the News, subject to editorial discretion. Ken Harlow Brown and Caldwell 400 Exchange, Suite 100 Irvine, CA 92702 714-689-4852