About Brown and Caldwell

Specialty Pages Asset Management Infrastructure Funding Water Resources SWRCB New Collection System Regulatory Program BC News Exclusives

Staff Ken Harlow, Crusty Editor Jennifer Finley, Managing Editor (E-mail Jennifer)

Recent News 8/7/2006 8/8/2006 8/9/2006 8/10/2006 8/11/2006 Archives About this newsletter Reader kudos Reader FAQs

Resources Meetings Agency links Other links Blogs: Hill Water Issues Los Osos Sewer ScienceBlog.com Tothelastdrop Water Conservation Water and Wastewater

Monday, August 14, 2006 Quote of the Day: "We don't have to live great lives, we just have to understand and survive the ones we've got." Andre Dubus (Thanks to Maggi Brooks for this one.) Born on this Day: Russell Baker, Alice Ghostly, John Brodie, Dash Crofts, David Crosby, Steve Martin, Antonio Fargas, Susan St. James, Danielle Steel, Earvin "Magic" Johnson, Susan Olsen, Halle Berry, and Catherine Bell. On this Day in 1873:  "Field and Stream" magazine published its first issue. 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: MWD: Junior Engineer MWD: Maintenance Mechanic I MWD: Engineering Technician City of Arcadia: Equipment Operator San Bernardino County: Public Works Engineer III County Sanitation Districts of L.A. County: Project Engineer Want more? See all postings. Today's News —  Water Supply County to be asked to call off well testing (SLO Tribune, 8/14) "County supervisors are expected to be asked Tuesday to reverse the Planning Commission’s approval of a proposal to collect information needed to finish plans for a desalination plant." Water board OKs Fort Ord fund transfer (Monterey Herald, 8/13) "Funding transfers for recycled water systems and pipelines at Fort Ord were approved Wednesday by the Marina Coast Water District board." North County deal plans remain iffy (NC Times, 8/13) " San Diego County Water Authority officials say it could be a very long time before they identify any new seawater desalination projects to chase seriously after abandoning long-discussed hopes of helping build a Carlsbad plant that would turn ocean water into drinking water." Water desal proposals draw out fans and foes (Daily Breeze, 8/13) "Efforts by the Los Angeles DWP, West Basin Municipal Water District and the city of Long Beach are gaining momentum. Small demonstration facilities are proposed near LAX and in Redondo Beach. El Segundo Power is the site of a small pilot desalter."  Conservation plan is criticized (The Reporter, 8/12) "An influential area construction association is criticizing a developing conservation plan in Solano County that is supposed to help save the environment and streamline development regulations." —  Water Quality Perchlorate: Water-quality board under fire (Riverside P/E, 8/13) "Three regional water-quality board members appointed by Gov. Schwarzenegger will undergo further scrutiny after a state senator complained the board has done little to clean up perchlorate contamination in a key Inland drinking water source." Water near Oregon border highly toxic (KESQ, 8/132) "A new analysis of water samples from two reservoirs near the California-Oregon border has revealed extremely high levels of a toxic blue-green algae that's known to cause liver failure and promote tumor growth."   Enforce Prop. 65 and protect our drinking water (San Jose Mercury News, 8/13) OPINION. "Back in November 1986, nearly two-thirds of California's voters enacted a landmark law known as Proposition 65 through a citizens initiative to prevent dangerous chemicals causing cancer or birth defects from contaminating drinking water or exposing Californians to significant risks of these devastating illnesses. Today, 20 years later, are we any better off?" —  Dams Feinstein raises dam seismic, cost issues (Auburn Journal, 8/13) "U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein is adding a potential roadblock to Rep. John Doolittle's renewed push for a multipurpose dam at Auburn."  —  Surface Water Wetlands give UC Merced growing pPains (LA Times, 8/13) "With its first year tucked under its belt, the University of California Merced — which cost more than $500 million and took nearly 20 years to plan — still lacks federal permission to build on wetlands near the fledgling campus." Advocate: District retaliating against scientist (Stockton Record, 8/13) "A biologist who reported the December deaths of hundreds of stranded salmon below a small dam operated by Stockton East Water District was ordered soon after by district officials to turn in the keys that gave him access to the river." Full stream ahead (Stockton Record, 8/12) "Lodi soon will be on the front lines of a movement to restore that older heritage, as conservationists propose making the Lower Mokelumne River that winds past mansions, fields and forests on the north edge of town a designated water trail." Algae blooms potentially hazardous (Mount Shasta Herald, 8/12) "The Siskiyou County Public Health Department is reminding residents and visitors that Irongate Reservoir, Copco Lake and Lake Shastina are known to have seasonal blooms of blue-green algae (cyanobacteria), which can be harmful to humans." —  Wastewater EPA backs state on withdrawal of sewer loan (SLO Tribune, 8/14) "A federal agency has backed state water officials’ decision to withdraw a $135 million low- interest sewer loan from the Los Osos services district after the local agency stopped construction on a sewer project last fall." —  Runoff Tougher regulation of farm runoff needed (Contra Costa Times, 8/13) OPINION. "Even though the agriculture exemption ended three years ago, many farmers continue to allow pesticides and other pollutants to seep into rivers and the Delta." Hearing on coastal pollution planned (Monterey Herald, 8/13) "A hearing on state policy to prevent pollution of protected coastal marine areas from storm water runoff will be held Tuesday in Monterey by the state Water Resources Control Board's Division of Water Quality." —  Global Warming Global warming debate changing with climate (Contra Costa Times, 8/13) OPINION. "Global warming is having its moment in the sun. The climate crisis is on "60 Minutes" and in Tom Brokaw's recent documentary, on the cover of Time and Newsweek, and in Al Gore's movie and best-selling book."  —  Everything Else Scientists: Researcher's findings are all wet (Ventura County Star, 8/12) "Two years ago, Stanford chemist Anders Nilsson published a high-profile study showing that the way molecules in water are connected is startlingly different from what scientists had believed."   Some in California seek ice to ease crunch (Associated Press, 8/12) "City and utility officials throughout Southern California are eyeing a new system that relies on ice to store energy for air conditioners as a possible way to cut peak commercial consumption and reduce the threat of crippling blackouts." 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