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Monday, July 31, 2006 Quote of the Day: "Those who flee temptation generally leave a forwarding address." Lane Olinghouse Born on this Day: Don Murray, Kenny Burrell, Geoffrey Lewis, France Nuyen, Susan Flannery, Sherry Lansing, Geraldine Chaplin, Gary Lewis, Barry Van Dyke Evonne Goolagong, Alan Autry, James Read, Wesley Snipes, Dean Cain, and Loren Dean. On this Day in 1498: Christopher Columbus, on his third voyage to the Western Hemisphere, arrived at the island of Trinidad. Sent to more than 25,000 readers nationwide... and thousands more via our lineup of online ads like the one above that appears on watertechonline.com Latest postings: City of Garden Grove: Associate Engineer Rainbow MWD: Assistant Engineer Padre Dam MWD: Sr. Construction Inspector Metropolitan Water District: Maintenance Mech. I Western MWD: Customer Service Supervisor San Bernardino MWD: Water Reclamation Trainee City of Riverside P.U.: Water Maintenance Engineer Humboldt Community Services District: Finance Manager Want more? See all postings. Hetch Hetchy Valley Current View of the Hetch Hetchy Valley (Photo by John Kane) Sent by Tom Hawes, Water Conservation Program Coordinator, Castaic Lake Water Agency. The Trails (Photo: SFPUC) The Falls (Photo: SFPUC) "The Hetch Hetchy reservoir today is a beautiful, pristine wilderness where hikers and backpackers can experience solitude, wildflowers, and a wilderness experience around miles of trails maintained by the SFPUC and the National Park Service," says Tony Winnicker, Director of Communications, SFPUC. SFPUC Hetch Hetchy Home Page DWR's Hetch Hetchy Study Restore Hetch Hetchy Home Page Do you have a photo you'd like to submit? Send us an e-mail.   Today's News —  Water Studies: Lodi's growth won't tax water supply (Stockton Record, 7/31) "Adding more than 3,000 homes plus new offices and stores will add little new demand for water in Lodi, because citywide conservation through metered use will offset the new users' thirst." North Marin water district pushes faux lawns (Marin Independent-Journal, 7/31) "Jo-Ann Fong's lawn has remained lush, luxurious and green all summer long. Yet she hasn't used a single drop of water to keep it that way, even during last week's cactus-wilting heat wave. And her husband Albert hasn't touched a lawn mower in the last two years." ACWA endorses water-related bond measures (Sacramento Business News, 7/31) "The Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) today endorsed two water-related bond measures that would make critical investments in the state's water supply and flood control systems." Water banking in Antelope Valley a big issue (Antelope Valley Press, 7/30) Thanks to Denis Wolcott for this one: "Barbara Hogan, chairwoman of the Antelope Valley State Water Contractors Association, recently drafted a letter to roughly 100 Valley residents, seeking their views on a Valleywide water-banking project." Placer agency funds American River pump (Auburn Journal, 7/29) "A multi-million-dollar infusion of cash from the Placer County Water Agency is keeping the American River pump station and river restoration project on course." Report: Central Valley chugging too much water (The Argus, 7/29) "A new front has opened on the longtime war between the North and the South over water, the very lifeblood of California." Order to boil at the Warners Springs water lifted (NC Times, 7/29) "An order to boil water at the Warners Springs Unified School District was lifted Friday by the San Diego County Department of Environmental Health." Legislation supported to increase water supply (U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein, 7/27) NEWS RELEASE. "U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) today testified before the Energy and Natural Resources’ Subcommittee on Water and Power to urge support of legislation she introduced to increase the water supply in California." —  Levees and Dams Dam removal set for Ward Creek watershed (Nevada Appeal, 7/31) "The California Tahoe Conservancy is proposing to remove an old concrete dam on Ward Creek near Sunnyside along with streambank renovation as part of the Ward Creek Watershed Restoration Project." California levee damage needs repair, U.S. says (Los Angeles Times, 7/29) "Last winter's severe storms and high water damaged three dozen stretches of California levees so severely that they need to be fixed before the next rainy season to prevent potential damage to homes and other development, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced Thursday." New levee spots cited as critical (San Francisco Chronicle, 7/29) "A new report from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dramatically increases the number of critically damaged levee sites in the Sacramento River flood control system." Army must be broke; state to pay more (Central Valley Business Times, 7/29) "California will spend some $160 million to pay the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers or other contractors to make emergency repairs to an additional 81 levees in the Central Valley." —  Hetch Hetchy At $10 billion, Hetch Hetchy is a costly dream (Redding Record Searchlight, 7/31) OPINION. "Almost since it was built, environmentalists have dreamed of draining the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir in Yosemite National Park to restore a valley that was called a 'mountain temple.'" God's work or engineering masterpiece? (Sierra Heritage Magazine, 7/06) "In Tuolumne County, where scenic wonders and man-made lakes abound, one of the most awesome examples of nature’s art is (or was) the completely inaccessible Hetch Hetchy Valley." Restoring Hetch Hetchy Valley is feasible (Mercury News, 7/30) OPINION. "San Franciscans have long castigated Los Angeles for sneaking into the Owens Valley a century ago and 'stealing' its water. But Bay Area folks become apoplectic when anyone suggests tampering with their water supply, the source of which is a far greater infamy than the Owens Valley dust-up." —  Wetlands and Lagoons O.C. wetlands to finally reunite with the sea (LA Times, 7/31) "When bulldozers finally smash through the wall of sand separating the Pacific from the Bolsa Chica wetlands, allowing millions of gallons of seawater to rush into the marsh for the first time in 107 years, a hard-core group of supporters will be on hand to cheer."  Santa Monica Baykeeper's new CWA program (Santa Monica Baykeeper, 7/29) NEWS RELEASE. "On Wednesday, July 19, concerned citizens from all over Los Angeles County came to Baykeeper’s first Empower the People Workshop to meet Jonathan Bishop, Executive Officer of the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board, and to learn how the Clean Water Act allows citizens to stand up for clean water." Poll: Protect Salton Sea's wildlife (Desert Sun, 7/29) "An overwhelming number of voters say protecting wildlife is the No. 1 reason to revive the Salton Sea and most want local leaders, instead of Sacramento, to get the job done." —   Moab Cleanup Flooding spurs new tailings concerns (The Salt Lake Tribune, 7/27) Thanks to Matt Stone for this one: "Flash flooding in Moab two weeks ago has provided new incentive for state and local officials to keep the pressure on the U.S. Energy Department to stay on schedule with the cleanup of the Atlas mill uranium tailings." —  Flood Control Petaluma plan may reflect flood fears (Santa Rosa Press Democrat, 7/29) "Petaluma's new draft general plan could allow development in areas flooded during the New Year's Eve storm, but that may all change with an upcoming environmental report."   —  Meetings Public meetings on the Proposed CAFO Rule (CAFO, 7/31) NEWS RELEASE. "US EPA is convening six public meetings around the country on the Proposed CAFO Rule published in the Federal Register on June 30, 2006. The revised NPDES permitting requirements for CAFOs respond to the February, 2005 Second Circuit Court of Appeals Waterkeeper Decision. The purpose of these meetings is to enhance public understanding of the proposed rule. On August 3, US EPA will hold it's California meeting in Sacramento see attached announcement." —  Local/Agency News Public can comment on direction of water district (NC Times, 7/29) "The public will get four opportunities in the next few weeks to offer insight on how the Rainbow Municipal Water District should meet the needs of its customers in the years to come." Cal-Am water fees (KSBW, 7/29) Thanks to Jim Graham for this one: EDITORIAL. "Cal-Am Water has its sights set on your wallet, and this past week it made its case to California's Public Utilities Commission. For background, the reason is two fold: one to restore the Seaside aquifer; the second is for planning, building, and operating a desalination plant in Moss Landing." —  Global Warming Britain, Calif. deal to combat global warming (Associated Press, 7/31) "Britain and California are preparing to sidestep the Bush administration and fight global warming together by creating a joint market for greenhouse gases." Global warming: Water supply future (CPR Insight Show, 7/21) AUDIO. Featuring Brown and Caldwell Principal Engineer Lisa Maddaus. "Global warming Most scientists are warning of the effects of global warming with increasing urgency. Today on Insight you'll learn how global warming impacts California and how the state is responding. You’ll also hear what you can do to reduce its impact." Britain faces worst drought in decades (Associated Press, 7/29) Thanks to Mark Moss for this one: "Patches of dry grass dot the otherwise idyllic countryside around this village of stone cottages and wildflowers -- hardly the calamitous picture meteorologists paint when warning of Britain's worst drought in 30 years." —  Air Pollution China’s air pollution hits United States (AsiaNews, 7/31) "Pollution coming from China has reached California and other American states. Experts say that short of drastic intervention, China’s expanding industry and private consumption will affect the environment of the whole world."   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