Hi! Like most people, my family has spent a LOT of time at home over the last several months (and will continue to for the foreseeable future). To stay busy, my husband and I decided to make some home improvements we’ve been putting off, and we decided to focus our efforts on water conservation measures. […]
Read MoreCategory: Activist Corner
Global Change Maker Video
Today we salute Roger Hallam, an extraordinary ‘global change maker.’ Roger was a small, successful organic farmer in Wales employing many people. His farm operations were devastated by climate disruption, so he leased out the land, instead becoming a full-time, unfunded climate/ecological activist. He is intelligent, well-educated, brave, forceful, clever, highly principled individual, not satisfied […]
Read MoreTwo Watershed Activists Given Awards
In case you missed this honor for “one of our own” …. (two of our own, in fact). Chris Poehlmann and Rick Coates received well deserved recognition and an award for their many years of service. On behalf of the trees “Thanks Chris and Rick!”. Awards Happy 2021 … be safe, stay well.Rue
Read MoreBrock Dolman–Regenerative Hydration
Brock Dolman is a biologist and systems thinker. He is the co-founder of Occidental Arts and Ecology Center—one of the first permaculture education centers in North America. In this episode, Brock colorfully muralizes the concept of regenerative hydration. By connecting practices like rainwater, greywater, and fog harvesting, with conceptual tools like water budgets and unorthodox […]
Read MoreHow’s My Waterway Recording
Chris; The EPA’s 12/15 webinar on “How’s My Waterway?” was recorded and is now available, below. Some takeaways: ~ provides a comprehensive view of (entire) watercourses and water quality (only point sources shown at this time);~ designed for public use, tool is user-friendly and works well on mobile devices;~ data has been pulled from community, […]
Read MoreVideo on The Social Life of Forests
Hi Ya’ll, I wanted to share with you this super interesting, thought-provoking, intriguing on competition vs., cooperation arguments and ultimately a deeper offering on the recognition of Forests as Wholes. It is a wonderful wide ranging biopic in many ways on the Bioneering work of Dr. Suzanne Simard. Several years ago I had the honor […]
Read MoreZooming Back in Time to get Perspective
Hi all,I listened to the last, great zoom meeting which set my brain ablaze with a year’s worth of mulling things over. Overall I think we need to zoom way out for a bit then come back in to the details of ‘now what!’ One of the zoomed out pictures I encountered was that 99% […]
Read MoreIndustrial Forestry is not Sustainable or Sensible
First, it’s past time we see that there is NOTHING sustainable about Industrial forestry – not environmentally, economically or socially. Let me elaborate with comments and questions. Industrial forestry management is predicated upon the totally mistaken premise – we can ‘improve’ Nature. We can’t! We can only live in harmony with all her evolutionary, symbiotic, […]
Read MoreMore Logging (“Thinning”) could Increase Wildfire Severity
We know that on people’s minds that live in Sonoma County, California, and other areas is the wildfire threat and what is best to be done about it. There are two articles: one by Ralph Bloemers, a restoration worker in fire zones; and the Chapparral Institute on Logging can make fires worse Also in the […]
Read MoreTools to help with Groundwater Sustainability Plans
To All, I attended the totally remote annual convening of the state-wide NGO Groundwater Collaborative. This is a short report highlighting what I believe are the most important things I learned and the new resources available to those of us who are tracking and seeking to influence local development of Groundwater Sustainability Plans (GSPs). This […]
Read MoreEnviroAtlas Training Webinar
Thank you for registering and/or participating in the April 28 EPA EnviroAtlas Training webinar. The webinar recording is now posted for viewing for those of you that missed the training or want to view it again. Since we didn’t have time to get through all of the questions during the webinar, attached is a Q&A […]
Read MoreAction: Request from NCRWQCB to give input on Temperature Policy
An invitation to review this project … dive in. Do take care, stay well.Rue I’m writing to offer a chance to collaborate on some interesting science with direct policy relevance. My full-time job is at the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board where we implement state and federal clean water laws. A project I’m […]
Read MoreClean Water Act Action
If you have a minute … add your voice. Below is an easy link … or find your own way to be heard. stay safe, be well.Rue Addup campaign on Clean Water For All Act. You can use this site to contact your person in Congress.https://addup.sierraclub.org/campaigns/stop-the-trump-admin-from-stripping-protections-for-our-waters This AddUp supports Representative Peter DeFazio and Representative Grace […]
Read MoreDerailing CEQA?
AB 3279 was amended in the Assembly Appropriations committee, but those amendments do not address concerns and we remain opposed along with other enviro and EJ organizations. The bill will be up on the floor this week. It contains a bad cost-shifting provision that only allows plaintiffs to prepare the CEQA administrative record if the […]
Read MoreResponsible Water Conservation
Hi, As we’ve seen from devastating events all over the world (notably in the United States and Australia), responsible water conservation is more critical than ever to protect the planet from catastrophic droughts and wildfires. With that in mind, may I ask you to add the following list to your site, Activist Corner, which already […]
Read MoreEnvironAtlas Training-Sustainable Future
As follow-up to the January EPA Tools & Resources Webinar on EnviroAtlas, EPA’s Office of Research and Development will provide a more in-depth training webinar on EnviroAtlas. Register and join the webinar. How do environmental managers and public health officials identify the benefits that local forests, parks, wetlands and other natural areas provide to their […]
Read MoreClimate Resilience Bond Must Include Funds to Protect and Restore California’s Redwood Forests
Robin Carr, Landis Communications, Save the Redwoods League Redwoods play a key role in the state’s fight against climate change by storing more carbon per acre than any other forest type in the world SAN FRANCISCO, CALIF. (February 26, 2020) — As California lawmakers negotiate the details of a climate resilience bond to bring before […]
Read MoreSalmon Website with Current Status
The Nature Conservancy is relaunching the California Salmon Snapshots website as the State of Salmon in California website. The website still provides the most complete, updated numbers of salmon and steelhead returning to our California rivers – but the information is now presented in a more modern and easy-to-navigate interface. With data compiled from the […]
Read MoreMaori Democratic Party Resolution on Lahaina Wastewater Pollution
WHEREAS, the County of Maui’s Lahaina Wastewater Reclamation Facility has for decades used injection wells to dispose of its treated wastewater, sending millions of gallons a day of polluted water into the ocean just offshore of Kahekili Beach; and WHEREAS, peer-reviewed government and university scientific studies, as well as decades of direct kama‘āina experience, have […]
Read MoreToxic Rule Sign-on Letter to Protect Air/Climate Impacts
California River Watch joined dozens of other statewide environmental organizations providing comments to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) to not gut or reduce the standards of protection for pollutants that are released into the atmosphere from coal and other steam generating sources. These releases create unhealthy levels of air pollutants and, in addition, […]
Read MoreToxic Water Rule sign-on letter
Our organization, California River Watch, signed on to a letter distributed by Clean Water Action (Jennifer Clary) to the EPA to not gut protections prohibiting dumping coal ash wastewater into US waters and instead strengthening limits for scrubber sludge discharges to control bromide and other pollutants. You can review the letter below. Larry January 21, […]
Read MoreMap showing Fully Appropriated Streams
The State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Water Rights (Division) has released an interactive GIS web map for representing Fully Appropriated Stream Systems (FASS) in California. The web map provides access to FASS and related information, including seasonal limitations, court references, and Board decisions all in one place and within a geospatial context. The […]
Read MoreWeb Map Showing California’s Fully Appropriated Streams
The State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Water Rights (Division) has released an interactive GIS web map for representing Fully Appropriated Stream Systems (FASS) in California. The web map provides access to FASS and related information, including seasonal limitations, court references, and Board decisions all in one place and within a geospatial context. The […]
Read MoreCritical Species Lookbook Groundwater Resource Hub
The Nature Conservancy is pleased to announce the release of the Critical Species LookBook (the LookBook) which may be found on the Groundwater Resource Hub. The LookBook is a compendium of 84 state and federally listed species likely to be affected by groundwater management and merit consideration by Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act […]
Read MoreNew Fully Appropriated Stream Systems (FASS) Web Map Tool
The State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Water Rights (Division) has released an interactive GIS web map for representing Fully Appropriated Stream Systems (FASS) in California. The web map provides access to FASS and related information, including seasonal limitations, court references, and Board decisions all in one place and within a geospatial context. The […]
Read MoreAction: Send Letter to Maui County for polluting Groundwater and Ocean Beaches
Below is a sample letter to send to the Environmental Program of Maui County expressing outrage for continuing to pollute or simply a statement of not visiting until pollution of groundwater and ocean is stopped and the Clean Water Act is followed. Dear Environmental Coordinator: I am outraged by the continued pollution from treated wastewater […]
Read MoreProtecting Species under Groundwater Management
Dear Groundwater Colleagues, The Nature Conservancy is pleased to announce the release of the Critical Species LookBook (the LookBook) which may be found on the Groundwater Resource Hub. The LookBook is a compendium of 84 state and federally listed species likely to be affected by groundwater management and merit consideration by Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) […]
Read MoreClimate System is “Getting Unhinged”!
To All, The Climate System is “Getting Unhinged” as Massive Heat Wave Causes Record Melting of Greenland Ice Sheet on Democracy Now!. Click on this link to see the video or read the transcript. Larry
Read MoreSupport Climate Emergency Action in Sonoma County!
To All, I just signed the petition “City Council members and County Supervisors: Support Climate Emergency Action in Sonoma County!” and wanted to see if you could help by adding your name. Our goal is to reach 500 signatures and we need more support. You can read more and sign the petition here: http://chng.it/zwjWrxsnL7 Thanks! […]
Read MorePublic Comment and Board Workshop on Safe and Affordable Drinking Water
There is an opportunity for Public Comment and Board Workshop on the Draft Administrator Policy Handbook for Safe and Affordable Drinking Water. This on Russian River Watershed Pathogen Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) & Prohibition against the Discharge of Fecal Waste Materials The Board Workshop is scheduled for August 21, 2019 Comment Deadline is September […]
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