Kistler Bodega Ranch Winery and Minor Timberland Conversion Zoning Permit SCH Number: 2010112021 Document Type: MND – Mitigated Negative Declaration Project Lead Agency: Sonoma County Project Description Request for 1) a Use permit for a new winery with a maximum annual production capacity of 7,500 cases to include a 18,870 square foot production/processing building with […]
Read MoreCategory: Food Agriculture Impacting Water
Our Rivers, Lakes And Streams Reports
Corporate Agribusiness and America’s Waterways November 2010 Executive Summary Pollution from agribusiness is responsible for some of America’s most intractable water quality problems – including the “dead zones” in the Chesapeake Bay, Gulf of Mexico and Lake Erie, and the pollution of countless streams and lakes with nutrients, bacteria, sediment and pesticides. Farming is not […]
Read MoreNew Winery Permit Info Near Raford House, Forestville
Wed. 12/15/10 Season’s Greetings, Hope all are well and enjoying this festive season. Many of you already know that there were no surprises on Dec. 9th, and that the new date was set for: Thursday January 13th, 1:05pm at PRMD. Some new developments include: – Extensive boring, sampling, and testing followed by a 61 page […]
Read MoreSonoma County, Banana Republic of Wine-Grapes
Will Parrish, December 1, 2010 In 1993, American wine industry goliath E&J Gallo (annual revenue: $2 billion) founded its first subsidiary dedicated solely to producing high-end, “premium” vintages: Gallo of Sonoma. The move reflected a dramatic shift for the Gallo empire, which accounts for one in four bottles sold in the US wine market. For […]
Read More97% Decline in Salmon and Agribusiness
California’s fall salmon run has declined 97% since 2002, according to a front page article in today’s San Francisco Chronicle reporting on the “Salmon Summit” happening today in Half Moon Bay. Meanwhile the Sonoma County wine industry complains about the State Water Control Board’s proposed regulations to protect the salmon and pressures the Board of […]
Read MoreStudy Commissioned by Grape Industry Flawed
The article accurately reflects the fact that the State Water Board does not buy the report’s assumptions. Flawed assumptions automatically lead to flawed conclusions. I must correct one quote in the story: “We specifically avoided saying that is how it must be done,’ he [Rukeyser] said. ‘We [the Water Board] left it to the stakeholders […]
Read MoreGreen Valley Creek Water Resources Public Meeting-Nov. 30
Green Valley Creek Water Resources Public Meeting – Tuesday, November 30, 6 pm The Russian River Coho Water Resources Partnership (Patnership) is pleased to announce a public informational workshop to share what we have been enaged in to support local water supply and conservation issues in the Green Valley Creek Watershed. The Partnership is comprised […]
Read MoreImpacts of Wine Grape Frost and Summer Stream Diversions
At the presentation to the Board of Supervisors on Frost Protection, County staffer Peter Rumple said that “streams go dry naturally”. This was reiterated by Peter Opatz, vineyard manager. Peter Rumple also indicated to Board of Supervisors that the Eyler Report was the latest and best of studies done on frost protection. They have “studied […]
Read MoreSanta Rosa Plain Groundwater Basin Planning Workshop Nov. 17
Santa Rosa Plain Groundwater Basin Planning Workshop November 17 About the Workshop The Sierra Club, Sonoma County Water Coalition and League of Women Voters are sponsoring a workshop to inform interested parties about groundwater planning currently under consideration. Workshop Date and Location The workshop will be held on November 17, 2010, from 6:30-9:00 p.m. located […]
Read MoreFrost Regulation Public Meeting at Water Board
To All, There will be a public meeting at the NCRWQCB (North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board) at 5550 Skylane Blvd. (adj. to airport) on November 17, 2010 from 3 to 5 p.m. on regulating for Frost Protection. Stream diverters will be there in force to call for a relaxed policy. –Larry
Read MoreFrost Ordinance Fast Track at BOS, Tues. Nov. 9th
We may need a good turnout on Tuesday, Nov. 9th, between 8:45 am and 11:30 am when the Board of Supervisors considers this item. Unfortunately, the BOS chair was unwilling to set a time certain for this item, thus ensuring that significant time will be spent by County staff and otherwise gainfully employed concerned citizens sitting […]
Read MoreSpraying Permit Affecting Water on USFS Lands
Hi All, As I read the active ingredients in the spray, where only the active ingredients and not the inert are noted, two spring up: malathion and glyphosate are deadly carcinogens. Do we know the area they are spraying as one document mentions for cotton which we don’t have here. Glyphosate has recently been in […]
Read MoreKLAMATH RIVER WATER QUALITY STANDARDS APPROVED
The RB is already working on it – and a Dairy WDR and Waiver too. Hi all,I have heard it said for many years by a number of folks, including staff with the NCRWQCB, that after the Klamath TMDL is done, the Russian TMDL is next. Anyone have the latest heads up on this reality […]
Read MoreKLAMATH RIVER WATER QUALITY STANDARDS APPROVED
NEW AND STRONGER KLAMATH RIVER WATER QUALITY STANDARDS APPROVED BY CALIFORNIA On 7 September, after much debate, the California Water Resources Board formally approved new water quality standards (called ³TMDLs,² or ³total maximum daily loads² in Clean Water Act parlance) for the mainstem of the Klamath River. This decision gives final California agency approval to […]
Read MoreRussian River Riverfest this Saturday, Sept. 25th
The Riverfest is right around the corner and we hope to see many of you there. We’ll gather on the banks of the River at Burke’s Canoe Trips on Saturday, September 25th from 4:30-7:30 p.m. for our annual fun fest. Come enjoy a great gourmet dinner, organic wine & beer tasting & local musicians as […]
Read MoreCornell Winery Permit, Mark West Creek Watershed
On Thursday, September23, 1:30 to 2:30 pm at the PRMD Hearing Room at 2550 Ventura Ave in Santa Rosa. Cornell Winery( Goldman Sachs–your bailout money at work) is again seeking a permit to put a winery in the water scarce coho/steelhead rearing watershed of Mark West Creek.
Read MorePlants take up Drugs, Antibacterials from Biosolids Used as Fertilizers
Uptake of pharmaceuticals and personal care products by soybean plants from soils applied with biosolids and irrigated with contaminated water Wu, C, AL Sponberg, JD Witter, M Fang and KP Czajkowski. Synopsis by Heather Stapleton and Wendy Hessler. Environmental Science and Technology, Aug 30, 2010 New research shows that the drugs and contaminants that often contaminant […]
Read MoreThe Hot Poop on Fertilizer from Sewage
Lloyd Alter, Toronto June 14, 2008 In Ontario, Canada, they get a lot of sewage sludge out of the treatment plants; 120,000 tonnes are spread on 37,000 acres of agricultural land. Some farmers love it because it is free, while other fertilizers are getting very expensive; others refuse to touch the stuff. The Star is […]
Read MoreMeeting: Water Quality Control Plan for the North Coast Region
SWRCB_09072010_BoardMeetingAgenda Attached is the agenda for the State Water Resources Control Board September 7, 2010 Board Meeting. At this meeting the State Water Resources Control Board will consider a proposed Resolution approving amendments to the Water Quality Control Plan for the North Coast Region (Basin Plan) to establish: (1) site specific water quality objectives for […]
Read MoreSupport Senate Bill 565 on Water Diversions
Please call Assemblymembers Wes Chesbro and Noreen Evans and ask them to support Senate Bill 565 by Senator Fran Pavley on the Assembly floor this week. SB 565 would:• Provide the State Water Resources Control Board with adequate authority to investigate and stop unlawful diversions of water; • Modernize the penalties for unlawful use and […]
Read MoreRe: Coho Confab and Vineyard/Winery Impacts on Fish
Bob, Thanks for forwarding the info on the Coho Confab. I was not aware of it and I see some very knowledgeable individuals on the list of presenters. You may not want to read the rest of my e-mail because it won’t be pleasant. First, no restoration is required at this time. I’ll quote the […]
Read MoreWater quality and dairies. Hearing July 20
Water quality and dairies. Hearing July 20. http://www.swrcb.ca.gov/northcoast/water_issues/programs/dairies/ Stephen
Read MoreWater: Will There Be Enough?
Sandra Postel, Yes! Magazine, Jun 4 2010 For at least three decades, Americans have had some inkling that we face an uncertain energy future, but we’ve ignored a much more worrisome crisis-water. Cheap and seemingly abundant, water is so common that it’s hard to believe we could ever run out. Ever since the Apollo astronauts […]
Read MoreKnights Valley’s Pelton House Winery Ruling Documents
Here is the Order granting Petition For Writ of Mandate from Judge Boyd requiring an EIR for the Pelton House (Maacama Watershed Alliance vs. County of Sonoma and Jess Jackson). Particularly noteworthy here is that every issue brought up by Maacama Watershed Alliance counsel Paul V. Carroll was decided against Sonoma County and Jess Jackson. […]
Read MoreRussian River Frost Protection Update
This is a message from the State Water Resources Control Board. _______________________________________________________________ Attached is the agenda for the June 15, 2010 Board meeting, where staff will present a Russian River Frost Protection Update (Item 10 on the agenda). This is an informational item only.
Read MoreWater Board Chair Hoppin and His Biased Statements
Interested Parties I am not sure the State Board Chair understands his job – or – the Role of regulators and other concerned interests. Read the Board Chair statements and my questions to Charlie (that went unanswered – below). As if Ag was not organized ! By the way, I have a lot respect State […]
Read MoreInstream Flows (AB 2121) Decision–Tues. April 27
Hi All, This meeting is so important for the general public to attend. People need to be there to represent the public trust doctrine for the protection (not the taking) of California’s water resources. Typically the wine industry goes to these meetings to advocate for their individual or collective interests in taking the water resources, […]
Read MoreHow Dry is My Valley? Farms Short on Water
Matt Jenkins, April 11, 2010 (SF Chronicle) On a crisp, brilliant day at the end of March, the farms near the Sacramento Valley town of Arbuckle were bursting with green and looked as if they’d popped straight off a fruit-crate label. A few wet clouds hung over the Coast Range, and Doug Griffin kept a […]
Read MoreA Scientific Assessment in California’s Bay Delta
A Scientific Assessment of Alternatives for Reducing Water Management Effects on Threatened and Endangered Fishes in California’s Bay Delta National Academy Press, 2010 California’s Bay-Delta estuary is a biologically diverse estuarine ecosystem that plays a central role in the distribution of California’s water from the state’s wetter northern regions to its southern, arid, and populous […]
Read MoreThe Looming Water Disaster That Could Destroy California, and Enrich Its Billionaire Farmers
Yasha Levine, AlterNet March 23, 2010 “That, in your own backyard there, is the scariest place after New Orleans.” — Geologist Nicholas Pinder’s description of the precarious situation in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta after the hurricane Katrina disaster. Imagine the devastating flooding of Hurricane Katrina multiplied by epic sandstorms, drought and economic collapse of […]
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