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Friday, June 2, 2006 Quote of the Day: "Advertising is the art of convincing people to spend money they don't have for something they don't need." Will Rogers Born on this Day: Hedda Hopper, Johnny Weissmuller, Barry Levinson, Sally Kellerman, Stacy Keach, Marvin Hamlisch, Jon Peters, Jerry Mathers, Diana Canova, Dana Carvey, Lydia Lynch, Tony Hadley, Merril Bainbridge, and Nikki Cox. On this Day in 1941: Lou Gehrig died in New York of the degenerative disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Sent to more than 24,000 readers nationwide... and thousands more via our lineup of online ads like the one above that appears on watertechonline.com Latest postings: Orange County Water District: Senior Planner or Senior Engineer California Water Service Company: Associate Engineer - Civil Design Group California Water Service Company: Water Quality Project Manager Castaic Lake Water Agency: Manager of Retail Operations Cucamonga Valley Water District: GIS I/II Brown and Caldwell: Accountant I Brown and Caldwell: Community Relations Assistant Want more? See all postings. BC Water News Exclusive Survival Guide: Scientists, engineers push to get Gulf Coast restoration plan off the treadmill Scientists and engineers are making a big push to jump-start a $14 billion, 30-year Gulf Coast restoration plan; a select group is reconvening tomorrow in New Orleans only a month after a three-day symposium that outlined the stark reality and hefty challenges ahead for the storm-battered shoreline. They realize all too well that something has to be done — and fast. Today's News —  Water Tunnel project to link reservoirs (SD Union Tribune, 6/2) "Before you enter the tunnel that's being excavated between Lake Hodges and Olivenhain Reservoir, they hand you two shiny metal disks with the same number stamped on each. " Check of Irvine lake sought (LA Times, 6/2) "Orange County Supervisor Bill Campbell said Thursday he wanted a review of Irvine Lake's recreational activities and other uses that might affect the quality of drinking water for 6,500 residents in his hometown of Villa Park." Reclamation, MWD sign agreement for water demonstration program at Lake Mead (MWD, 6/1) NEWS RELEASE. "The Bureau of Reclamation today signed an agreement with the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (Metropolitan) for a demonstration program that will help determine if creating 'surplus' water in Lake Mead can be used as a long-term water management tool on the lower Colorado River." Carlsbad water project EIS released (Bureau of Reclamation, 6/1)  NEWS RELEASE.  "The Bureau of Reclamation and New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission today released the final Environmental Impact Statement on the Carlsbad Project Water Operations and Water Supply Conservation." Negotiation session for proposed contract with Sacramento County Water Agency (Bureau of Reclamation, 6/1)  NEWS RELEASE. "The Bureau of Reclamation will hold a negotiation session with the Sacramento County Water Agency (SCWA) on its long-term water service contract for the delivery of up to 52,000 acre-feet of Central Valley Project (CVP) water." EPA won't regulate water transfers (Associated Press, 6/1) "The Environmental Protection Agency said Thursday it will not regulate transfers of water from one place to another — no matter how polluted the water is at the start." Solar energy powers the water that grows grapes (Santa Cruz Sentinel, 6/1) "Energy that runs the pumps to water some of the grapes for Bargetto Winery comes from the sun, a cost-saving trend that's playing out in dozens of vineyards across California." —  Levees and Dams FEMA may ease levee deadline (Riverside P/E, 6/2) "The Federal Emergency Management Agency may delay a mandate that could force tens of thousands of Riverside County residents to buy expensive flood insurance, a top agency official said on Thursday." Pretty dam, ugly dilemma (Monterey Herald, 6/2) "'It's a pretty dam,' Don Lingenfelter says of San Clemente Dam on the Carmel River, 'but it's a headache.' Lingenfelter, 54, has looked after and operated the gates of the dam nearly all of his adult life." Army Corps admits design flaws (LA Times, 6/2) "The Army Corps of Engineers acknowledged Thursday that design defects in the levees protecting New Orleans caused the majority of flooding during Hurricane Katrina and that the disaster would almost certainly trigger reforms in how the federal government protected the American public." —  Surface Water What's behind the loss of the forests of the sea? (Daily Breeze, 6/2) "Giant kelp forests once dominated the Southern California coast, but these important sea-life habitats have dwindled away in the face of a variety of challenges." Carlsbad algae to be eradicated within weeks (NC Times, 6/2) "The state Department of Fish and Game is expected to declare within the next six weeks that the long battle to remove invasive algae from the Agua Hedionda Lagoon in Carlsbad is finally over." Loch Lomond closed for herbicide treatment (Santa Cruz Sentinel, 6/1) "Algae blooms are stinking up the Santa Cruz's 3-billion-gallon water reservoir above Ben Lomond." Channel Islands plan calls for more protection (The Log, 6/1) "A draft management blueprint for the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary, the largest revision since the refuge was established a quarter century ago, has been released." —  Flood Control Arroyo Grande lines up allies in fight next big flood (SLO Tribune, 6/2) "It wants several local agencies — the sanitation district, the Oceano Airport and nearby towns, for example — to help reduce stress on the area’s creek system" Bill may overhaul flood board (Oakland Tribune, 6/1) "The state's flood board, under scrutiny for possible violation of open-meeting laws and what some believe is a pro-developer tilt, would face an overhaul under a bill approved by the Senate this week." —  Wastewater Greka Integrated Inc. fined for violations (EPA, 6/1)  NEWS RELEASE. "The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today fined Greka Integrated Inc. of Santa Maria, Calif. $127,500 for unauthorized disposal of oil refinery wastewater into the facility’s injection wells, in violation of the federal Safe Drinking Water Act." —  Spills U.S., Alaska want Exxon to pay more for spill (MSNBC, 6/1) "Federal and state authorities asked Exxon Mobil Corp. on Thursday for $92 million to clean up remaining oil from the devastating Exxon Valdez spill nearly 20 years ago." —  Meetings Amador water issues on agenda (Stockton Record, 6/1) "The Foothill Conservancy is hosting a free public forum on water and groundwater issues in Amador County at 7 p.m. next Thursday in the Sutter Creek Community Center on Church Street." Environmental group hosting conference in Chico (Chico ER, 6/2) June 9. "The Sacramento Valley Environmental Watershed Caucus Water Conference will be 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 9 at the Chico City Council Chambers."  —  Local/Agency News EVMWD offers lift station update (The Friday Flyer, 6/2) "The Canyon Lake Continental Lift Station Replacement Project, currently under construction at Indian Beach, is approximately 30 percent complete and is expected to last approximately 10 more months, according to a news release provided to The Friday Flyer by the Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District." Olivenhain water district honors trio of landscapes (NC Times, 6/2) "The Olivenhain Municipal Water District showed how by recently awarding prizes in its third annual California-Friendly Landscape Contest, which salutes California-friendly foliage and its water-wise possibilities." Vallecitos district expects no rate increases (NC Times, 6/2) "Vallecitos Water District customers will not see any increase in their water or sewer bills this year under a proposed budget that has the support of the board of directors, who will meet next week." CCWD worker killed in rollover identified (San Jose Mercury, 6/1) "Authorities identified a Contra Costa Water District contract worker as the driver who was killed Wednesday afternoon in a rollover crash on a dirt access road to Los Vaqueros Reservoir." 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