Richard Cornett, Director of Communications Western Plant Health Association, Apr. 27, 2011 The Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board is finding it rough sledding when it comes to gaining the approval of a long-term plan to clean up surface and groundwater discharges from 7 million acres of farmland in California’s agricultural heartland. The Water […]
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Rovics’ New Song on Fracking (Natural Gas Mining)
Hi folks, Hope you’re not tired of hearing from me, but when I make a new song I figure it’s worth sending out to everybody… This one is an evil practice known as hydraulic fracturing, which is ruining lives, land and water (not to mention a lot of private property) throughout the US and Canada, […]
Read MoreGroundwater storage to save the coho
Mary Anderson, Redwood Times Posted: February 23, 2011 The fifth session of the Bureau of Land Management lecture series took place under rainy conditions at the BLM office on Tuesday evening. The four inches of rain that came with the first storm of February brought local water courses up, but by the time September comes, […]
Read MoreTo all, Discussion – below – is a summary of the Regional Board action to Suspend NTMPs from the Categorical Waiver for Timber Operations. This is a short summery for folks who are not understanding the situation regarding NTMPs . There is another e-mail to follow with a summery and history of TMDLs and Implementing […]
Read MoreJoin the Great Russian River Race!
Dear Friends of the Russian River, I am writing to you to enroll you and enlist your help in spreading the word about a fun canoe and kayak race that we are organizing as a fundraiser for Russian Riverkeeper. It is a spectacular stretch of river and will certainly be a fun day of activities […]
Read MoreProposed Russian River Frost Protection Regulation Public Workshop
The State Water Resources Control Board will hold a Public Workshop to consider comments on a Proposed Russian River Frost Protection Regulation The Public Workshop will commence on Wednesday, April 6, 2011 No earlier than 11:00 a.m. Coastal Hearing Room Joe Serna, Jr./Cal-EPA Building 1001 I Street, Second Floor Sacramento, CA see attached docs, or linked at: http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/waterrights/water_issues/programs/hearings/russian_river_frost/ […]
Read MoreSanta Rosa Plain Groundwater Plan Highlights
Jay Jasperse, Chief Engineer of SCWA talked for 1 1/2 hours on the USGS study Alexander Valley, USGS study Sonoma Valley, Sonoma Valley groundwater management, USGS SR Plain study, SR Plain steering committee work, Other Water Agency groundwater related activities — Stormwater infiltration study, groundwater banking and CASGEM program. Some highlights: SR basin study is […]
Read MoreChinook and Sonoma County Water Agency
When will the SCWA be updating this page on their website with the 2009 and 2010 Chinook count figures? http://www.scwa.ca.gov/chinook/ The PD and other newspapers around the state seems to think every thing is just swell with our Chinook populations. Tis it so in the Russian? This has not been a banner year for Steelhead […]
Read More29th Annual Salmonid Restoration Conference, Mar 23-26
Hello, I am writing on behalf of Salmonid Restoration Federation to inform you that the 29th Annual Salmonid Restoration Conference will be held March 23-26, 2011 in San Luis Obispo, CA. This is the premier salmon and steelhead restoration conference on th eWest Coast and features exciting all-day habitat restoration tours, educational workshops, a Plenary […]
Read MoreThe Death Embrace of Water and Wine
Drinking Our Rivers Dry By WILL PARRISH The latest in California’s North Coast wine oligarchy’s long series of legislative coups de grace occurred on December 14. In a 5-0 vote, the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors rubber-stamped new regulations on frost protection in the Russian River water basin, now in its death throes after having […]
Read MoreAction for North Coast Streams Involving Forestry
Interested Parties concerned with impaired status of north coast rivers and streams please note: The Regional Board is proposing suspension of regulations now in place to control pollutant contributions from timber harvest activity on impaired waterbodies in the north coast region. Timber harvest and related activities are responsible for a great percentage of impairment on […]
Read MoreDraining Our Rivers Dry, Will Parrish, Mar. 3, 7 pm
To All, Here is a worthwhile event on how our streams are being dewatered destroying salmonids and other wildlife. –Larry The North Coast Wine Industry: Draining Our Rivers Dry Thursday, March 3, 2011, 7:00 p.m. Gualala Arts Center Investigative reporter, Will Parrish Friends of the Gualala River sponsors a special public presentation on Thursday, March 3, 7:00 […]
Read More35th Annual Sonoma County Environmental Awards Dinner, Mar. 5th
Sonoma County Conservation Council and Sierra Club Sonoma Group present the 35th Annual Sonoma County Environmental Awards Dinner Defending Our Wildlife and Native Habitats <http://www.lagunafoundation.org/knowledgebase/sites/default/files/Biodiversity%20Action%20Plan%202010%20reduced.pdf>2010 Biodiversity Action Plan: How are local land conservancies meeting the challenge? Successes and Challenges of the Sonoma Land Trust and the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District Saturday, […]
Read MoreHow Small Mostly Conservative Towns Have Found the Trick to Defeating Corporations
TARA LOHAN – AlterNet If your community is considering selling its water, or privatizing its access to its water, YOU MUST, organize against this. It is going to become a crucial issue in the next several decades, as water becomes a bigger and bigger issue, and those civic entities who have made such Faustian bargains […]
Read MoreGroundwater Management and Monitoring in the Russian River
Hi Larry, I don’t know if you are aware of this meeting but thought you might like to know. Lisa Carr Dear Grower, On February 28, 2011 there will be a workshop for growers in Mendocino and Sonoma Counties on Groundwater Management and Monitoring in the Russian River from 1-4 pm at the Clos du […]
Read MoreWhen They Came For The Navarro
Will Parrish on Feb 11, 2011 The North Coast wine industry has long acted out a pathological conviction that it is entitled to virtually every single drop of water in every watershed it touches. As in the case of Sonoma County’s recent frost protec tion ordinance, which I detailed in the December 14 Anderson Valley […]
Read MoreWild Steelhead Festival in Healdsburg, Feb. 11
Respect, Restore, Celebrate! – Wild Steelhead in Sonoma County February 11,12, & 13 2011 Sponsored by: Trout Unlimited Trout Unlimited will be the major Sponsor of the 2011 Festival. The Redwood Empire Chapter of Trout Unlimited provided educational information on the status of wild fish in the Russian River Watershed and what needs to be done to […]
Read MoreINEFFICIENT WATER USE IS UNREASONABLE WATER USE
To All, “DELTA WATERMASTER SAYS INEFFICIENT WATER USE IS UNREASONABLE WATER USE” On Wednesday Delta Watermaster Craig Wilson presented a report to the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) suggesting it should flex its power to enforce California’s Reasonable Use Doctrine more broadly across the state. Wilson specifically referenced a clause in the doctrine which […]
Read MoreJenner Headlands Acquisition Meeting, Jan. 29th
Hello Folks, I hope everyone had a great Holiday season and is looking forward to 2011. The end of 2010 marks the one year anniversary of the Jenner Headlands acquisition. We, at Sonoma Land Trust and The Wildlands Conservancy, have been very busy since then, and I’d like to invite you to our annual Community […]
Read MoreSonoma Environmental Film Festival
Sonoma Environmental Film Festival SUNDAY JANUARY 23RD 3:30 – 5:30PM Admission: $10.00 general / $8 student and senior. Sustainable Seafood & Wine Reception is sponsored by Whole Foods Sonoma, i love blue sea, Ashton Vineyard, Deerfield Ranch Winery and Sky Saddle Winery. Join us for our closing films and discussion. We start off with a […]
Read MoreKistler Bodega Ranch Winery/Minor Timberland Conversion Zoning Permit
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 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 MoreWater Resources of the U.S.—National Water Information System (NWIS) Mapper
Here is a link to get water resources anywhere in the United States–the National Water Information System Mapper: –Larry http://wdr.water.usgs.gov/nwisgmap/
Read MoreDo Coastal Streams Go Dry Naturally?
At the presentation to the Sonoma County 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. In […]
Read More“Gasland” Type Video on Natural Gas Fracking
For those who didn’t see the documentary film, “Gasland”, here is an 11 minute news report on the same subject: http://therealnews.com/t2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=74&jumival=5846 Robert
Read MoreWorkshops Scheduled on Santa Rosa Plain Groundwater Planning
Workshops Scheduled on Santa Rosa Plain Groundwater Planning Santa Rosa, CA -Three educational workshops on groundwater in the Santa Rosa Plain will be held this fall and winter. The first workshop on Santa Rosa Plain Groundwater Planning will take place Wednesday, November 17, 6:30-9 p.m. at the Santa Rosa Veterans Memorial Building. The forums will […]
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 MoreHydrological Illiteracy Stops Utilization of the Valuable Resource
An Interview with Brock Dolman, Arts and Ecology in Occidental Judie Steeves – Kelowna Capital News October 29, 2010 Planet earth is actually planet water, since it’s 70 per cent water—97 per cent of that is ocean salt water, two per cent is trapped in glaciers—and only one per cent is fresh water. The water […]
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