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Thursday, July 6, 2006 Quote of the Day: "Those that dance are considered insane by those who cannot hear the music." George Carlin (Thanks to Dale Gropp for this one.) Born on this Day: Nancy Reagan, Merv Griffin, Pat Paulsen, Janet Leigh, Bill Haley, Della Reese, Dalai Lama, Ned Beatty, Burt Ward, Fred Dryer, Jamie Wyeth, Sylvester Stallone, George W. Bush, Geoffrey Rush, Shelly Hack, Grant Goodeve, Nanci Griffith, Allyse Beasley, Ron Duguay, and Glenn Scarpelli. On this Day in 1928: "The Lights of New York" was previewed in New York's Strand Theatre. It was the first all-talking movie. 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: Metropolitan Water District: Engineer - 5356 AM American Water: Water Conservation Intern City of Huntington Beach: SCADA Technician City of Huntington Beach: Water Distribution Supv. City of Hesperia: Senior Maintenance Worker Want more? See all postings. Today's News —  Water Judge rejects petition to block canal project (SD Union Tribune, 7/6) "In a case with implications across the arid West and into Mexico, a federal judge has refused to block a controversial water conservation plan aimed at providing San Diego with a vast new supply from the Imperial Valley. " Inland agencies complain of illegal dumping (Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, 7/6) "A rock and gravel company has been accused of illegally dumping debris into the Day Creek flood control channel, choking off attempts to restock water supplies." Almost $1 billion granted for water programs (EPA, 7/6) NEWS RELEASE. "States, territories and tribes will share more than $940 million from three EPA grant programs to support the quality and security of the nation's drinking water. The water supplies for more than 270 million people will benefit from the funding." Cambria growth question may go to voters (SLO Tribune, 7/6) "Cambria voters will likely get to decide in November whether their town can grow beyond its current water service boundaries." Rains fall far shy of record (Sacramento Bee, 7/5) "The Mayans had Chac, god of rain and lightning. The Greeks had Zeus, lord of the sky and thunder. And the ancient Egyptians had the Star of Isis, whose appearance marked the coming of the Nile floods." —  Clean Water Act High and dry court (Fresno Bee, 7/5) "The Supreme Court's muddled 4-4-1 decision on the Clean Water Act and wetlands shows, once again, the importance of elections." —  Levees Workshop in Colusa on emergency levee repair (DWP, 7/5) NEWS RELEASE. "The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) will hold the final of six public workshop meetings on emergency levee repairs in the Sacramento River Flood Control System. This meeting will focus on levee repairs in the Colusa region." —  Surface Water Lake Oroville - now loaded with water (San Francisco Chronicle, 7/6) "If you haven't seen Lake Oroville for a while -- or perhaps never -- the view from the Bidwell Bar Suspension Bridge can give you cod mouth. The lake is filled to the brim and the water seems to extend forever." Project 'ignored' Belmont Creek (Oakland Tribune, 7/6) "One day in May, Barbara Patterson was driving by a vacant lot in an industrial district on Harbor Boulevard when she noticed some machines excavating dirt along the bank of Belmont Creek. Curious, she stopped and asked the site manager for a copy of the site plan." Critics rave over Lake Nacimiento (SLO Tribune, 7/6) "Early last month, the San Luis Obispo County Visitors Bureau was host to close to 100 members of the Outdoor Writers Association of California for their Spring Conference in San Luis Obispo." Nonprofit group founder nominated for award (Record Searchlight, 7/5) "The founder of a Chico-based nonprofit group that has been working to restore rivers in the Sacramento Valley, including the Sacramento River around Redding, is up for a national award." —  Ocean News Fossil fuels said to damage ocean life (Associated Press, 7/6) "Corals and other marine creatures are threatened by chemical changes in the ocean caused by the carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels, a panel of scientists warned Wednesday."   Wastewater Smell drives Cathedral City sewer project (The Desert Sun, 7/5) "The stench will be gone, and residents are thrilled. In Cathedral City's Dream Homes neighborhood, city employees and residents are working together to install sewer lines in the complex. The neighborhood is on a septic system, which holds what's collected from toilets." Thousand Oaks wastewater plant goes solar (Ventura County Star, 7/1) "In a move that is expected to reduce Thousand Oaks' dependence on fossil fuel resources, the city has approved a deal with a company that will build and operate a solar power system at the city's wastewater treatment plant." —  Toxic Cleanups Seven arrests in Coachella Valley waste sting (Riverside P/E, 7/6) "Seven Coachella Valley residents have been caught in a sting operation targeting haulers who illegally transport hazardous waste." Simpson Timber sued over land contamination (Eureka Times Standard, 7/6) "Claiming tests of mud in a ditch near the old Simpson Timber Co. plywood mill show large quantities of a potent carcinogen, Humboldt Baykeeper and Californians for Alternatives to Toxics have filed a federal suit demanding the alleged contamination be cleaned up."  EPA settles with aerosol co. over waste regs. (EPA, 7/5) NEWS RELEASE. "The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has fined Aerosol Services Company, of City of Industry, Calif., $56,000 for violating federal hazardous waste regulations." EPA settles with S.D. man over paint violations (EPA, 7/5) NEWS RELEASE. "For violating federal lead-based paint disclosure requirements at seven rental units at his properties built before 1978 in San Diego, Calif., property owner Donald R. Henely has agreed to abate lead-based paint at two properties at a cost of $55,000 and pay a penalty of $2,941 to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency." EPA settles with Santa Clara co. over pesticides (EPA, 7/5) NEWS RELEASE. "The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has fined Envirosystems of Santa Clara, Calif., $16,358 for the alleged sale and distribution of an antimicrobial disinfectant that failed effectiveness testing, in violation of federal pesticide law." —  Local/Agency News El Centro sells $65 million in bonds (IV Press, 7/6) "The city of El Centro has sold more than $65 million in water and wastewater revenue bonds that will finance modernization of the city’s wastewater and water treatment plants." Poway upgrading its Web site (NC Times, 7/6) "Residents will be able to pay water bills, report potholes and take care of other tasks with a few mouse clicks, if a project now under way at City Hall is successful." San Mateo sewer chief escaped discipline (San Mateo County Times, 7/5) "Two city sewer workers were suspended for eight days without pay in the aftermath of a scandal over side jobs that was uncovered last year, but their supervisor came close to being suspended as well, additional city documents obtained by the Times now show." Holtville water and sewer bills going up (IV Press, 7/3) "Residents here will see an increase in their water and sewer bills starting July 1, increasing by 15 percent for water and 16 percent for sewer." —  Everything Else Green edge to Schwarzenegger re-election bid (MSNBC, 7/5) "Enviros are scrambling for ringside seats to the California gubernatorial race, poised to become a green cirque of WrestleManian proportions."   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