December 16, 2015 — Maven Dr. Nathan Mantua discusses how climate change and seasonal weather patterns influence coastal and marine salmon habitats Earlier this fall, the UC Davis Coastal and Marine Sciences Institute Center for Coastal Ocean Issues and the Delta Science Program convened the California Salmon and Climate Variability Symposium to explore how variable and changing […]
Read MoreCategory: Salmonid/Wildlife Impacts
Measuring the effectiveness of ‘environmental flows’
November 18, 2015 by UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences Salmon spawning in Shasta River. Photo by Carson Jeffres, UC Davis By Ann Willis and Andrew Nichols In the early fall of 2012, an unusually large number of Chinook salmon were returning to the Klamath River, straddling the California-Oregon border. Many of those fish were expected […]
Read MoreLong-Term Effects of Common Pesticides on Aquatic Species
16 November 2015 Wiley New research indicates that commonly-used insecticide mixtures continue to impact aquatic invertebrate species over multiple weeks, even when the chemicals are no longer detectable in water. Through experiments meant to generally reflect runoff from a multiple-homeowner watershed, investigators found that pesticide mixtures had negative effects on the abundance of certain snails, […]
Read MoreDigging Deeper on Fish and Flows
The Fish Report November 9, 2015 Everyone knows that fish need water – but just how much water is often a subject of debate, especially when it comes to fish in California’s highly managed rivers. Many studies and management decisions in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and its tributaries have relied on research that found correlations […]
Read MoreFinally, a One-stop Shop for Locating California’s Fishes
November 8, 2015 by UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences Introducing PISCES 2.0, an open-source software and data storage platform that uses primary source data, modeling and expert analysis to generate current and historical locations of California’s freshwater fishes. “Fish richness” is the number of different fish species in an area. Source: UC Davis Center […]
Read MoreA Real Halloween Horror Show: Jerry Brown’s Delta Death Tunnels
by Dan Bacher The real-life horror show of Governor Jerry Brown’s Delta Tunnels Plan keeps revealing its deadly surprises as the public comment period for the California Water Fix draws to a close on Friday, October 30. Like an evil vampire that you just can’t seem to kill, the Delta-destroying tunnels plan keeps coming back. […]
Read MoreSAN FRANCISCO BAY AT RISK
Seven million Californians call the Bay Area home, with the iconic waters of San Francisco Bay making this one of the best places in the world to live. Now the Bay is at risk – and with it, the jobs, recreation and wildlife that depend on a healthy Bay. The threat is the “Twin Tunnels” […]
Read MoreDamning California’s Future
Hoping to capitalize on the epic drought, the state’s water industry wants to usher in a new era of dam-building in the state. But environmentalists say it would cost billions and do more harm than good. By Will Parrish October 21, 2015 On the edge of the Yolla Bolly Wilderness, about 15 miles north of […]
Read More“Vineyard Infection” Letter and other wine industry comments
Following is Dr. Laura Morgan’s “Vineyard Infection” letter on the possible coastal invasion by more vineyards, published in today’s PD, as well as my response. The link to read the letters and respond also follows. Let’s keep the pressure on. Since some of you were also at the Timber Cove workshop, this letter opens a […]
Read MoreGroups Charge Delta Tunnels Plan with Violating Clean Water Act
Environmental and fishing groups on October 7 alerted the Federal and State agencies responsible for issuing permits before any construction of the Delta Tunnels can start that the controversial project will violate the federal Clean Water Act (CWA). A 15-page letter from the groups documents multiple violations of the landmark CWA if the project is […]
Read MoreCoho vs. Pinot
On the Russian River, grape growing and fish don’t always mix By Will Parrish In July, roughly 1,000 rural Sonoma County residents overflowed classrooms and small meeting chambers at five informational sessions convened by the State Water Resources Control Board. It would be hard to exaggerate many attendees’ outrage. At one meeting, two men got […]
Read MoreWine Industry Impacts: Wine and Water Watch (WWW)
I began sending out my article on the founding of the Wine and Water Watch (WWW) group yesterday. It has already been published in at least the following places, which include India and Virginia. It will likely be published elsewhere in the next few days. If you google the words “wine and water watch” with […]
Read MoreGroups Sue State Water Board to Prevent Fishery Extinctions
C-WIN, CSPA, and AquAlliance say the regulatory agency refuses to enforce and comply with laws protecting fisheries and water quality. From the California Sportfishing Protection Alliance (CSPA), the California Water Impact Network (C-WIN), and AquAlliance, this press release: On 4 August 2015, The California Sportfishing Protection Alliance (CSPA), California Water Impact Network (C-‐WIN) and AquAlliance, […]
Read MoreA Solution for California’s Water Woes
During the drought, the state has failed to safeguard water supplies and the environment, and now there’s a growing call to finally fix California’s archaic “water rights” system. By Will Parrish In a decision bursting with symbolism, the California State Water Resources Control Board recently announced its intention to draw down the main water supply […]
Read MoreDiscussion on Threat of Logging Plans
I sent the message – below – to Stephen. If this is allowed to be how forests are managed on private lands in California – virtually all private forest lands will be put in these permanent large scale Non-industrial Timber Management Plans (NTMPs) – with no future environmental review or ability to update to new […]
Read MoreWine Empire Compared to Coal Industry
Various people challenging the Wine Empire have described it as an extractive industry. It uses a lot of water and land in industrializing, urbanizing, and commercializing ways. Most of its benefits leave the North Coast into the hands of investors, increasingly from China and elsewhere. Most of the costs are paid by locals, especially those […]
Read MoreTurning Water into Wine
The unregulated growth of California’s wine industry in the state’s coastal regions is depleting groundwater supplies and devastating rivers and fisheries. By Will Parrish Along the border of Sonoma and Napa counties, roughly seven miles northeast of Santa Rosa, hydrologist and forester Jim Doerksen took me to the southeastern end of his house, where he […]
Read MoreVineyards Comment Regarding Too Many Straws
To All, When I moved to Sonoma County 30 years ago, I loved the vineyards…but they were all dry farmed back then. Over the years I have watched in dismay, then horror, at the forest-to-vineyard conversions, as the non-food ag spread like a cancer across the land. The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors is also […]
Read MoreWILL PARRISH: Too Many Straws In the Russian
Will Parrish May 15, 2015 Ukiah, TheAVA On April 21st, officials with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the State Water Resources Control Board sent joint letters to property owners in four of the Russian River’s largest tributaries imploring them to conserve water on behalf of a federally-listed endangered species: Coho salmon. Its […]
Read MoreState Water Board Comments on Sproul Creek Inspection
By Adrian Baumann, abaumann@willitsnews.com 2/19/15 Plans for the multi-agency task force, including the California Water Board and Department of Fish and Wildlife, aiming to regulate marijuana growing in the state continue to evolve. The task force conducted January inspections of marijuana grows on Sproul Creek in southern Humboldt County. The group is still refining its […]
Read MoreThe Delta Smelt: A Tiny Fish with Big Implications
By Trent Orr, January 21, 2015 The delta smelt is a fish that grows to no more than three inches in length, but over the years this threatened species has made big headlines in California’s dusty, water-rights battleground. One congressional representative, Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA), is even on record as calling the smelt a “stupid […]
Read MoreAquatic plants: unsung but prime salmon habitat
Posted on November 13, 2014 by UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences By Robert Lusardi and Ann Willis For decades, California’s management and restoration of salmon and trout populations have focused on principles rooted in coastal redwood streams. These concepts portray ideal salmonid habitat as deep pools, shallow riffles and “large woody debris,” such as […]
Read MoreMuir Woods Coho Salmon Vanish, Fanning Fears of Extinction
By Peter Fimrite November 29, 2014 A view of the Muir Woods watershed, containing Redwood Creek where the endangered species of coho salmon are struggling to survive Nov. 25, 2014 in Mill Valley, Calif. Laura Chariton, Director of the Watershed Alliance of Marin, a 501c3 project of Marin Link, hasn’t seen a coho salmon in […]
Read MoreAquatic plants: unsung but prime salmon habitat
Posted on November 13, 2014 by UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences By Robert Lusardi and Ann Willis For decades, California’s management and restoration of salmon and trout populations have focused on principles rooted in coastal redwood streams, mostly fed by rainfall runoff. These concepts portray ideal salmonid habitat as deep pools, shallow riffles and […]
Read MoreWild & Scenic is Coming Up Fast! Get Your Tickets Today!
Rogue Riverkeeper and Southern Oregon University’s Outdoor Adventure Leadership program are proud to host the 2nd Annual Wild & Scenic Film Fest Sunday November 9th at the Southern Oregon University Music Recital Hall in Ashland. Get your tickets today! Sunday, November 9th, 2014 Happy Hour from 5 – 6pm Films from 6 – 9pm with […]
Read MoreNMFS Letters on Riparian and Well Issues for Sonoma County
Hi folks: These letters are important insofar as they are from the National Marine Fisheries Service and speak to the rules the County relies upon to govern development and the impacts of those rules in their land use decisions with respect to riparian vegetation and waterways. The letters reinforce what is needed in the County […]
Read MoreInvitation by Interviewee to See Russian River Movie
Come see and support this beautiful movie. Ok, I’m a bit biased, but this is indeed beautifully produced and filmed – and it is very important and timely. And, yes, there are a number of fabulous interviews with a wide range of water and river people. Thanks! David Keller
Read MoreTHE RUSSIAN RIVER: ALL RIVERS Screenings
To All, Don McEnhill, Executive Director of Russian Riverkeeper is a featured interview in: THE RUSSIAN RIVER: ALL RIVERS – THE VALUE OF AN AMERICAN WATERSHED “The time of using greed to justify degrading our environment is over.” “We need to get very honest with the amount of water we have in the worst year. […]
Read MoreHearing Dates for Sonoma County’s Riparian Protection Hearings
MARK YOUR CALENDAR!! Please plan to attend one or more of the hearings on riparian protection. In times of drought our waterways and surrounding lands are particularly vulnerable to degradation, and terribly important as potential areas for recharging our groundwater and protecting our streams. Mark your calendar & spread the word: Board of Supervisors hearing […]
Read MoreInvitation to Fish Survey Presentation
To Everyone, You are invited to a presentation on a survey study of fish use by California Tribes during a public State Water Board Meeting. The results could be used for deriving water quality objectives to protect people (including Tribes) who catch and eat fish from California’s waters. Dr. Fraser Shilling of UC Davis will […]
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