The State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board or Board) has posted a revised notice of availability and opportunity for public comment, hearing, and staff workshops on the draft Staff Report in support of possible Sacramento River and Delta updates to the Water Quality Control Plan for the San Francisco Bay/Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Estuary (Bay-Delta Plan) to its […]
Read MoreCategory: Salmonid/Wildlife Impacts
Gualala River Sediment TMDL Action Plan Development
You are receiving this email because you have signed up on the North Coast Water Board’s email distribution list to receive regular updates on the Gualala River Watershed Sediment Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) project. This is the first in a series of quarterly information updates that will be sent throughout the development of this […]
Read MoreMost Americans Are Oblivious To ‘Forever Chemicals’ And Their Risks, Survey Finds
By: Cristen Hemingway JaynesPublished: November 20, 2023 “Nonstick,” “waterproof” and “stain-resistant” are all commonplace terms that are self-explanatory. But the “forever chemicals” behind the coatings that give products the ability to resist grease, water and oil are not so well-known, it turns out. A new study conducted by AgriLife scientists at Texas A&M University is the first generalized survey in […]
Read MoreAll Aquatic Species In Mouths Of Rivers Contaminated By Microplastics, Study Finds
By: Cristen Hemingway JaynesPublished: November 17, 2023 Microplastics — tiny fragments of plastic products and industrial waste — are now so pervasive in Earth’s environment that they are found everywhere from the highest mountain peaks to the deepest parts of the ocean. According to a new report, all aquatic species in the mouths of rivers that flow into the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea are contaminated with microplastics; mollusksare […]
Read MoreGlobal Wildlife Harmed By Flame-Retardant Chemicals, New Map Shows
By: Bridget Reed MorawskiPublished: November 9, 2023Edited by Chris McDermott Often when we talk about the health implications of particular chemicals, the conversation tends to focus on the human impact, yet animals also suffer when harmful chemicals accumulate in their bodies and ecosystems. A new map highlights how pervasive the problem is for wildlife around the world by showcasing the […]
Read MorePoisoning the Planet
Much has been made — and rightly so — about the potential impact on human health and the Japanese fishing industry if Japan moves forward with its proposal to dump 1.2 million cubic meters — that’s 1.3 million tons —of radioactively contaminated water into the Pacific Ocean from the destroyed Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant site.
Unfortunately, this looks likely to happen sometime this month or next despite the worldwide outcry. But when I say “happen”, that rather suggests a one-off dump. Instead, the discharge of these liquid nuclear wastes could […]
Read MoreDWR Delivers $143.7 Million to Local Communities to Address Regional Water Supply Challenges and Build Climate Resilience State
Funding Will Help Communities Implement Groundwater Recharge, Flood Management, Water Conservation and Water Supply Reliability Projects May 17, 2023 “California’s changing climate presents unique challenges to our regions across the state,” said DWR Director Karla Nemeth. “These projects meet multiple needs including constructing new water infrastructure, improving water quality, protecting wildlife and preparing for a […]
Read MoreSeparation and Analysis of Microplastics and Nanoplastics in Complex Environmental Samples
Brian Nguyen 1 , Dominique Claveau-Mallet 1 , Laura M Hernandez 1 , Elvis Genbo Xu 1 , Jeffrey M Farner 1 , Nathalie Tufenkji 1 March 29, 2023 Abstract The vast amount of plastic waste emitted into the environment and the increasing concern of potential harm to wildlife has made microplastic and nanoplastic pollution a growing environmental concern. Plastic pollution has the potential to cause both physical and chemical harm […]
Read More10 Rivers Facing Pollution, Development, and Climate Change — And Policies That Can Help
An annual report highlights 10 waterways that have arrived at forks: where public support could determine whether they receive protection. By: EosApril 20, 2023By Saima May Sidik America’s waterways need help. Threats such as industrial pollution, poorly planned development, and climate change are widespread. In some cases, help could be imminent—but only with support from the public […]
Read MoreSalmon season officially off
California’s commercial and recreational salmon season was officially canceled late Thursday — and Gov. Newsom quickly announced he’s seeking a federal fishery disaster declaration to ease the pain for fishing communities.
As CalMatters’ Alastair Bland reported last month, California’s commercial and recreational fishing fleet landed about 300,000 salmon last year. But crashing populations are forcing this drastic move by the Pacific Fishery Management Council, something that hasn’t been done since 2009. The closure is expected to take effect in mid-May. And on May 17, […]
Read MoreState, federal officials vow to take quick action on Federal Fishery Disaster Declaration for salmon fishing industry
Officials vow to push for speedy action to support a salmon fishing industry facing full season closure. MARY CALLAHANTHE PRESS DEMOCRATApril 7, 2023, 11:54AM State and federal officials are vowing to move quickly to secure disaster aid for Californians affected by the closure of this year’s commercial and recreational salmon season, which could have an […]
Read MoreAmerica’s Vanishing Climate Forests:
At last year’s COP26 in Scotland, the United States and more than 140 other countries made an ambitious commitment to reverse global deforestation by 2030 to help combat climate change. President Joe Biden declared that the United States would “lead by our example at home” to conserve and restore forest carbon sinks.
At this year’s COP27 global climate summit in Egypt, Biden takes the world stage as U.S. forest-management agencies are failing to live up to his promise. They’re logging carbon-rich, mature and old-growth trees and forests on federally owned lands undercutting […]
Read MoreThe re-beavering of the Bay Area
PALO ALTO – In a deep muddy creek near Silicon Valley’s busiest freeway, a large furry head pokes up. And then quickly submerges.
The brief sighting, along with a growing collection of video footage, confirms something remarkable:
Read MoreToilets? Cannabis grows? Rising temps? We looked into theories and history behind the Bay Area algae bloom
Questions swirl as carcasses rot at Lake Merritt and beyond. We talked to experts and explored 100 years of local fish-kills. by Natalie Orenstein and Darwin BondGrahamSeptember 2, 2022 Scientists are hard at work trying to home in on the cause—or likely causes—of the algae bloom that’s led to mass death for marine life. Credit: Amir Aziz “Mystery epidemic kills […]
Read MoreBeavers are Here!
Exciting news! Rangers Josh Crosbie and Keith Gray recently observed a beaver dam at Maxwell Farms Regional Park. Beavers are important “ecosystem engineers” that help create habitat for other species. Beavers are also a “keystone species,” which means they have a disproportionately positive influence on the species and environment around them. Beavers help sequester carbon […]
Read MoreHelicopters to drop poison on California’s Farallon Islands amid ‘plague’ of mice
Wildlife officials and ecologists say urgent and drastic measures are needed to eradicate mice, a threat to island’s endemic speciesMaanvi Singh in San FranciscoFri 17 Dec 2021 A plan to eradicate a “plague-level infestation” of invasive mice on California’s Farallon Islands by dropping poisoned bait from helicopters has been approved by state officials. After hours of impassioned […]
Read MoreFarallon Islands poison airdrop plan set for key vote
A controversial plan to poison rodents on the Farallon Islands is coming up for a key vote after years of debate. The federal government proposes to airdrop poison pellets on the islands to kill tens of thousands of invasive house mice that have wreaked havoc on seabirds and the local ecosystem. The islands are a wildlife refuge with the largest seabird breeding colony in the contiguous United States. In a twist, the plan has […]
Read MoreNOAA Awards $15.2M for Harmful Algal Bloom Research
NOAA is announcing $15.2M in funding for harmful algal bloom (HAB) research projects throughout U.S. coastal and Great Lakes waters. HABs can produce toxins or cause other harmful effects that can damage ecosystems, disrupt our seafood supply, impact economies, and threaten human health. Marine and fresh waters of the United States are increasingly impacted by […]
Read MoreU.S. Sued After 150 Fenced Tule Elk Die In California Drought
By Mary Papenfuss06/25/2021 The tule elk, endemic to California, died over the last two years, confined inside an eight-foot fence to a 2,200-acre portion of the 71,000-acre public seashore. The elk are fenced to stop them from competing for forage with commercial beef and dairy operations allowed on the public land. The elk are dying […]
Read MorePoint Reyes adopts controversial ranch, Elk Plan
Will Houston | whouston@marinij.comSeptember 13, 2021 Fifty-nine years to the date since President John F. Kennedy signed the legislation establishing the Point Reyes National Seashore, the Biden administration approved a controversial plan on Monday to allow the park to kill some of its tule elk and to extend how long commercial cattle ranchers can rent […]
Read MoreOur treasured Farallon islands: Not yet safe from a crazy helicopter poisoning plan
THE MOTHER OF ALL GROUPS August 24, 2021, 11:03AM The misguided proposal by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to scatter a ton-and-a-half of cereal bait laced with the deadly Brodifacoum anticoagulant blood thinner from helicopters, right in the midst of our Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary, is unfortunately not dead yet. This controversial […]
Read MoreEPA Takes Action to Protect Pacific Salmon From Pesticides
Olivia Rosane Aug. 25, 2021 Extreme heat waves have made this a devastating summer for the endangered salmon species of the U.S. West Coast. In mid July, California wildlife officials warned that almost all of the young Chinook salmon in the Sacramento River would likely die because of lower water levels and higher water temperatures. Weeks later, a conservation group further north shared disturbing footage of […]
Read MoreCalifornia preps for catastrophic summer salmon slaughter
Warming temperatures threaten an entire run of Chinook salmon, which California officials blame on drought, climate change and a Trump-era water policy. SACRAMENTO, Calif. (CN) — Facing another summer of catastrophic fish kills, California lawmakers and fisheries managers on Tuesday blamed a Trump-era water policy and climate change for the sizzling water temperatures threatening to erase an entire run of Chinook salmon. “We’re witnessing the collapse of this iconic species right in front of our eyes,” said state Senator Mike McGuire, a Democrat from Santa Rosa. […]
Read MoreRecord spring salmon run on Sacramento River tributary turns into disaster as most fish die before spawning
By: SN&R Staff August 5, 2021 By Dan Bacher In an extreme drought year where nearly all juvenile Sacramento River winter run Chinook salmon are expected to die before spawning due to alleged water mismanagement by the state and federal governments, the return of a record run of adult spring run Chinook salmon on Butte Creek this […]
Read MoreEditorial: The California salmon wipeout is even worse than you think
By The Times Editorial BoardJuly 26, 2021 The news reports about the California salmon wipeout got a good chunk of the story right: Record-breaking heat waves made Northern California rivers too warm to sustain migrating chinook salmon, and virtually all of the salmon in the Sacramento River this summer have died, or will die, before reproducing. Any eggs that were […]
Read MoreCourt Rules Marin County’s Protections for Endangered Coho Salmon Inadequate
The Marin County Superior Court ruled that the county in Northern California failed to adequately protect coho salmon and their habitat in the San Geronimo Valley. Marin County originally planned to adopt a streamside conservation ordinance to preserve vegetation, maintain water quality and prevent erosion in 2007 when it last updated its countywide plan. But […]
Read MoreBiden administration revives controversial Farallon Islands poison plan
The Biden administration is doubling down on a plan to airdrop tons of poison-laced bait on the Farallon Islands near the Golden Gate to eradicate invasive house mice that have overrun […]
Read MoreThe Farallones “Poison Drop”
Here we go again …. The Farallones “Poison Drop” is coming back before the California Coastal Commission. Richard Charter has created a new video, 1 ½ minutes, explaining the whole thing.sOn May 12, 13, or 14, 2021, the California Coastal Commission will decide whether or not to permit the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to […]
Read MoreSalmon: Smallest run on Russian River in 8 years
BOB NORBERGTHE PRESS DEMOCRATNovember 21, 2007 The fall run of chinook salmon started slowly on the Russian River and, biologists said Tuesday, it hasn’t gotten any better. So far, 950 fish have been counted passing through the Sonoma County Water Agency’s fish ladder near Forestville, which would make this year the smallest run in the […]
Read MorePublic Trust Doctrine
Rooted in Roman law, the public trust doctrine recognizes the public right to many natural resources including “the air, running water, the sea and its shore.”
The public trust doctrine requires the sovereign, or state, to hold in trust designated resources for the benefit of the people. Traditionally, the public trust applied to commerce and fishing in navigable waters, but its uses were expanded in California in 1971 to include fish, wildlife, habitat and recreation. […]
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