Thursday, April 24, 2008

 

Protect the Tuolumne River - Stop the SFPUC Water Grab

(updated 17june2008)

Help maintain the freshwater flows that are needed in the California Delta.

"The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) is proposing to divert up to 25 million more gallons of water per day from the Tuolumne ... Taking more water from the Tuolumne would harm important habitat for fish and wildlife, including Chinook salmon and steelhead trout, degrade world-class recreation opportunities, and worsen San Francisco Bay-Delta water quality. ... Not only are new diversions harmful, they are unnecessary. The Tuolumne River Trust has collaborated with water efficiency experts to identify a number of flaws in San Francisco’s water demand studies which led to inflated demands and underestimated conservation savings. ... For a balanced and sustainable water plan, conservation is the cheapest, easiest and least destructive way to meet future water needs. Developing local sources such as recycled water can further extend water supplies." This site provides considerable information about efforts to protect the Tuolumne River, how you can take action to help, and water conservation opportunities. (Stop the SFPUC Water Grab - Tuolumne River Trust)

San Francisco and other coastal cities should not be allowed to just dump their treated wastewater into the ocean and then demand more clean water from the rivers. All treated wastewater should be recycled and used for landscaping and industrial water uses. We need smarter water policies to make better use of our limited water supplies.

Sign the Petition - protect the Tuolumne River, the California Delta and the fisheries.

Tuolumne River flow via the San Joaquin River is needed to help maintain the health of the California Delta. Chinook salmon, striped bass and many other fisheries in the California Delta are critically endangered, a sign that the entire ecosystem is collapsing. Protect the Tuolumne River - sign the petition.

For more information:
Tuolumne River Directory - Recreation & Conservation.
Don't divert from Tuolumne River to water Bay Area lawns - San Jose Mercury News 17june2008.
California Delta Directory - Conservation, Recreation & Water Policy. (79 sites).
California Delta Water Supply Policy and River Conservation Articles - BRT Insights.
San Francisco plans water grab from exhausted Tuolumne River - SF Daily 28april2008 - pdf.

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Monday, April 21, 2008

 

Celebrate Earth Day - demand more government action for river conservation and salmon restoration

April 22 Earth Day marks the anniversary of the modern environmental movement's birth in 1970.


Lets celebrate Earth Day by writing to our government officials for more action on river conservation and protection of critically endangered west coast USA salmon populations. Lobbyists talk to our government every day to encourage destruction of the environment. Government will not protect the environment unless we the people demand it!!

Irrigation of poisoned lands in the western San Joaquin valley has destroyed California rivers from north to south.

The Trinity River, California Delta and San Joaquin River have all been destroyed to enable irrigation of toxic soils in the western San Joaquin Valley. The federal government has been unable to come up with a solution for the selenium, arsenic, boron and other toxic wastes that are produced by this foolish project. Now the feds want to evade their responsibilities, transfer the cleanup job to the farmers and reward them with an indefinite contract for cheap taxpayer-subsidized water so they can continue polluting the environment in the future. Please write to your US Congressional representatives - the San Luis Drainage Resolution Act must be defeated. (Oppose the San Luis Drainage Resolution Act - bad for taxpayers, bad for California's environment - BRT Insights)

Destruction of our rivers is now driving the west coast USA salmon towards extinction.

Trinity/Klamath River salmon were devastated in 1963 when too much of the Trinity River was diverted into the Sacramento River (Friends of Trinity River - Trinity Division History). In recent years excessive amounts of Sacramento River water have been diverted to southern California to support irrigation of poisoned soils in the western San Joaquin Valley; this is a major factor in the crash of the Central Valley salmon populations. The toxic wastes that are generated poison the San Joaquin River and return north to poison the California Delta and San Francisco Bay.(Conservation Groups Oppose San Luis Drainage Resolution Act - Indybay)

Please support restoration of salmon and the fishermen who depend upon them. (California Salmon Closure 2008 - Ten Actions You Need to Take Now! - CPR 20april2008)

California residents contact your legislators about river conservation issues.



For more information:
California Delta Water Supply Policy and River Conservation Articles - BRT Insights.
California Delta Directory - Conservation, Recreation & Water Policy. (79 sites).
Trinity River Directory - Conservation, Recreation & Water Policy. (26 sites).
Selenium Directory - toxic waste in irrigation drainage from the western San Joaquin Valley of California (74 sites).

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Sunday, April 20, 2008

 

Chili Bar Run, American River SF, kayaking class III, 19april2008

Whitewater kayaking in California - how great it is!!

BillJ, SusanS, DarleneS, KeithF, Jim & I met at the Post Office in Lotus, California. Then we shuttled up to Chili Bar and met up with Mike. We had 1700 cfs of flow on the Chili Bar Run on SF American River (guide & map) (El Dorado County, California, USA). Just another perfect spring day. I can't think of anywhere I'd rather have been!!


More photos from this kayaking trip.

I had a great time eddy-hopping my kayak down Meatgrinder Rapid. We had some unscheduled excitement at Racehorse Bend Rapid. Then we surfed a bit at Maya Rapid and some more along the way to First Threat Rapid. There was quite a crowd at First Threat. The tiny boat people were really carving up the wave and providing free entertainment while we ate our lunch. Some were surfing here, others were getting surfed, and many were just getting trashed and practicing their eskimo rolls. The still pictures just don't do justice to this place. The water is flying by at 100 mph, the rapid is growling out loud in your ears, and even the best boaters often get munched and spit out here.

Today I ran Troublemaker Rapid for the first time in a long while. I eddy-hopped down the left, tip-toed the narrow line between the hole and the rock and then finished just left of Gunsight Rock.

On the way home BillJ & I picked up Sue who had spent the day at a forward stroke clinic on Lake Natoma. Then we had dinner at the Old Spaghetti Factory nearby. Its a tough place for low-carb dieters, but I've always liked their spaghetti sauces and especially the fresh-baked sourdough bread.

More about:
Whitewater River Trips - California Kayaking Reports.
Chili Bar Run, American River SF - Whitewater River Guide.

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Thursday, April 17, 2008

 

Oppose the San Luis Drainage Resolution Act - bad for taxpayers, bad for California's environment

San Joaquin valley irrigation has destroyed California from north to south.

California has been devastated to enable this foolish irrigation project that never should have been constructed. Up north the Trinity River has been destroyed to divert too much water into the Sacramento River. (Trinity River history of water diversions - Friends of Trinity River.) The California Delta, the salmon and many other fishes have been destroyed by diverting too much Sacramento River water south to support these pollution farms in the western San Joaquin valley. Selenium, arsenic and other toxins that are released from these irrigated toxic waste farms pollutes southern California. These pollutants then return north via the San Joaquin River to poison the California Delta and San Francisco Bay. (Conservation Groups Oppose San Luis Drainage Resolution Act - Indybay 05april2008.)

All taxpayers should oppose the new selenium irrigation drainage plan for San Joaquin Valley in California.

"Farmers and federal officials are revising plans to fix the San Joaquin Valley's irrigation drainage problem. The latest plan quietly floated on Capitol Hill this week gives the sprawling Westlands Water District an indefinite contract for irrigation water. In exchange, Westlands would pay off some of the money it owes for irrigation facilities and assume the federal government's responsibility for drainage on the Valley's west side." (New selenium irrigation drainage plan proposed for Valley - FresnoBee 07mar2008)

This article exposes many serious problems of this new selenium toxic waste drainage plan.
• "Westlands would ... assume the federal government's responsibility for drainage on the Valley's west side" In the 20 years since the environmental disaster at Kesterson Reservoir federal scientists and engineers have been unable to devise an acceptable plan for drainage of the toxic wastes produced by this irrigation project. Why would we consider transferring responsibility for poison drainage to Westlands without first seeing their plan and the proof that their plan will protect the environment?

• "Administration officials believe a better alternative would be to hand the cleanup responsibility to Westlands, raising the big question of what Westlands gets in return." The real question is what taxpayers and citizens get in return!! If the government is unable or unwilling to clean up the mess that this federal irrigation project has created how can we be sure that Westlands will do any cleanup? Why would we transfer cleanup responsibility to Westlands without first seeing their plan and the proof that their plan will work?

• "indefinite contract for irrigation water" "exempt from the acreage-limitation rules designed to ensure only small farms get subsidized water" Why should the toxic pollution farms of Westlands get a sweetheart water contract far better than any other irrigation project gets? Large corporation agribusiness farms should never get taxpayer-subsidized cheap water supplies!!

• Why should the government give billions of dollars worth of taxpayer-subsidized water to Westlands just to avoid a few billions of dollars of cost for retiring the land and solving this environmental disaster once and for all? The full cost of what Westlands owes for the original construction of the irrigation project should be deducted from the money paid for any land retirement plan. It is more and more clear that the only solution is to retire these selenium polluted farmlands to end this toxic waste disaster.

Write to your federal legislators to oppose the San Luis Drainage Resolution Act.

California residents should contact your US congressional representatives to demand a better solution to the selenium toxic waste disaster in the western San Joaquin valley. California's water policy should serve the needs of the people, not just the special interests!!

I have written to my US congressional representatives: Sen. Feinstein, Sen. Boxer & Rep. Thompson.

For more information:
As state wrestles with scarcity, Westlands seeks sweetheart water deal, Sierra Club Yodeler mar2008.
California Delta Water Supply Policy and River Conservation Articles.
California Delta Directory - Conservation, Recreation & Water Policy. (79 sites).
Selenium Directory - toxic waste in irrigation drainage from the western San Joaquin Valley of California (59 sites).
Trinity River Directory - Conservation, Recreation & Water Policy. (26 sites).

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Thursday, April 10, 2008

 

California residents contact your legislators about water supply policy issues

Water determines our cost of living and quality of living in so many ways.

Special interest lobbyists talk to our legislators every day. Government will not serve the interests of the people unless the people demand it. Contact your legislators to advocate for river conservation and water quality issues.

Local County Government in California.

California Counties' Websites - csac.counties.org.
About County Government in California - guidetogov.org.

California State Government.

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger - gov.ca.gov.
Find Your California State Legislators - legislature.ca.gov.
Know Your California Legislators - leginfo.ca.gov.

USA Federal Government.

Dianne Feinstein - US Senator from California.
Barbara Boxer - US Senator from California.
US House of Representatives. Determine Your Representative via Zip+4 Code.
ZIP+4 Code Lookup - USPS.

For more information:
California Water Supply Policy & CA River Conservation.
California Rivers Directory - Water Policy, Conservation & Recreation.

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Wednesday, April 09, 2008

 

Thanks to the other sites that help publicize my articles !!

(Updated 29mar2010.)
Blogged on Facebook - BRT Insights blog. Facebook users can sign up here to become followers of my blog.

The Funemployment Blog: Please and Thank You's - 21mar2010. This blogger shares my interest in hiking.

Go Green with Homemade Sports Drinks - The Succulent Wife's Favorite Things 02nov2009. Commercial sports drinks are mostly junk food. Homemade sports drinks are healthy, natural and easy to make.

BlogoWogo Blogs about Sports. Read excerpts of my recent posts at BRT Insights on BlogoWogo Network. Click on the link to read the full posting. Rate my posts on a scale from 1 to 5 stars.

BRT Insights - Feedburner. Read the newsfeed from my blog in your web browser or subscribe to read the feed in the system of your choice.

• Excerpts of my blog posts. Kayaking - Wikio Blogs. | BRT Insights - BlogCatalog. | BRT Insights - LS Blogs. | BRT Insights - Blogdigger. | BRT Insights - Blogged. | BRT Insights - Technorati. | BRT Insights - Icerocket. | Kayak News - Playak.

• Virtual River is the best source for California Water Supply of the Future - brt-insights 27june2008. Republished at California Progress Report. | Republished at San Diego County Water Authority.

• California Delta water crisis can be solved by exporting less water to
southern California 08april2008. Discussed at Aquafornia.

• Support habitat restoration in the California Delta 25mar2008. Republished at California Progress Report. | Excerpted at Aquafornia. Excerpted at California for Democracy.

• Oppose the San Luis Drainage Resolution Act - bad for taxpayers, bad for California's environment 17april2008. Excerpted at Lloyd G. Carter. | Excerpted at California Water Impact Network.

More about: Newsfeed Basics and Tips for Bloggers.

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Tuesday, April 08, 2008

 

California Delta water crisis can be solved by exporting less water to southern California

(updated 16june2008)

Stop the irrigation of selenium-poisoned farmland in the western San Joaquin valley.

Much of the water exported south from the California Delta is used for irrigation of the toxic soils of the western San Joaquin valley. Current policies are destroying the California Delta and driving the salmon and other fishes towards extinction. It would be foolish to continue sending too much water south just to perpetuate the highly polluting agriculture of the western San Joaquin valley. It would be even more foolish to let our Governor waste California taxpayer money to build dams and canals in northern California just to send even more water to these toxic pollution farms in the western San Joaquin valley. Once we cut off the taxpayer-subsidized water supply to these pollution farms, then the current water delivery infrastructure will easily be able to deliver all of the water that is needed by all other users in southern California.

Oppose the San Luis Drainage Resolution Act.

The proposed San Luis Drainage Resolution Act would give a perpetual water contract to the western San Joaquin valley farmers whose toxic wastes caused the environmental disaster at Kesterson Reservoir in 1987.

"Bill Jennings, chairman of the California Sportfishing Protection Alliance, and Carolee Krieger, President of the California Water Impact Network, on Friday sent a letter to Senator Dianne Feinstein blasting the Proposed San Luis Drainage Resolution Act and Settlement Process. .... the solution to the drainage problem of lands on the west side of the San Joaquin Valley is 'massive land retirement in the Western San Joaquin Valley." (Conservation Groups Oppose San Luis Drainage Resolution Act - Indybay 05april2008)

Selenium-poisoned lands in the western San Joaquin valley should no longer be irrigated.

"Retirement of Westlands Water District's deadly selenium laden lands should be required, withdrawing their continued so-called “rights” to Trinity River water. ... This heavily federal taxpayer subsidized irrigated land has wreaked havoc on the environment." (Trinity Division History - Friends of Trinity River)

California Water Impact Network urges government to "reallocate contaminated irrigation water from 379,000 acres of drainage impaired lands in the San Joaquin Valley to salmon fishery and river restoration projects throughout California’s Central Valley. Retiring these lands could free up at least 600,000 acre-feet of water for restoration projects throughout the Central Valley and Trinity River." (Stop Westlands Irrigation, Reallocate Water to Restore Rivers, California Delta & Fisheries - C-WIN 19may2008.)

It is not just conservation groups who oppose continued irrigation of the selenium-poisoned lands of the western San Joaquin valley.

"Land retirement in Westlands allows the state and federal governments, water users and environmentalists to enter a new era of enlightened water policy and regional problem solving." (Why Land Retirement Makes Sense - Westlands Water District 2002, pdf.)

"The state should immediately buy up thousands of acres of irrigated farmland on the west side of the San Joaquin Valley and give it a rest. That land is laden with poisonous selenium; the more it's irrigated (with delta water), the more the tainted runoff pollutes the environment." (Preserving the imperiled California Delta - Los Angeles Times 26may2007)

"Today Westlands is not crowded with family farms, as in the early vision, but instead has about 600 growers on 600,000 acres. The costly water subsidies that keep it alive make less and less sense in a changing global economy. Taking most of the district’s land out of production, as in the recent settlement, is the best course." (It's time to mop up west side's water debacle - Fresno Bee 17mar2003)

"It would be far more effective and ten times less expensive to retire the land and shut off the irrigation pumps." (Massive California Water Reclamation Scheme Full of Holes - Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility 30aug2007)

I have sent my email to Sen. Dianne Feinstein.

All California residents should send their own letters or emails to United States Senator Dianne Feinstein. Don't let our precious water supplies and taxpayer dollars be wasted on enriching the pollution farms of the western San Joaquin valley!!

For more information:
California Delta Water Supply Policy and River Conservation Articles.
California Delta Directory - Conservation, Recreation & Water Policy. (79 sites).
Selenium Directory - toxic waste in irrigation drainage from the western San Joaquin Valley of California (33 sites).

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Monday, April 07, 2008

 

Shirttail Run, NF American River, kayaking class II+, 06april2008

Whitewater, wildflowers & a windy spring day on the river in California.

BillJ, SueC & I resisted the urge to make the easier, shorter drive to the SF American River and made the great choice to kayak the Shirttail Run on NF American River (guide & map) (Placer County, California, USA).


BillJ at a surf spot below Surf City.

More pictures from this whitewater river. (Camera: Olympus 720SW water-resistant.)

A mellow whitewater flow, but still lots of fun spots to play in the river.

Poppies, lupines, redbuds and other wildflowers blooming along the road made the shuttle drive very scenic. Getting to put-in around noon we had to drive quite a ways past put-in before we found a place to park and have lunch before putting on the river.

The flow was quite a bit lower than the 1100 cfs that Bill & I had on our previous trip on this run. Most places along the run were less dynamic at this flow. The big rapid that splits around the island was runnable on both sides of the island. The boat-eating hole that normally lurks at the bottom of this rapid was not there, but we could see the rock that creates the hole when the flows are higher. Down the river a ways the diagonal ledge was especially mellow, making it a good spot for novice surfers. Later we passed under the high-tension wires and went on to Surf City Rapid. I got a momentary surf on the big wave there, but lost it quickly. We took a break for "second lunch" at Surf City and then continued down the river. Bill & I surfed a little on the spot below Surf City. Then we ran a few more rapids and surfed at the wave next to the rusty metal bridge wreckage. Just below there the boat-eating hole was as fierce as ever.

We made it to take-out by ~4PM. The gauge is quite a ways down the river, so I estimate that the white water flow we boated on all day passed the gauge at ~7PM (850 cfs.)

We had a great dinner at The Burrito Shop in Auburn California to recharge after a most excellent day of kayaking!!

More about:
Shirttail Run, American River NF Guide Page.
Whitewater Kayaking Trip Reports.

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Friday, April 04, 2008

 

More support for habitat restoration and recreational access in the California Delta

Support AB2502 - Yolo & Solano County residents please write to your County Supervisors.

AB2502 legislation proposed by Assemblywoman Lois Wolk (D-Davis) will improve habitat for critically endangered fish species in the California Delta. In addition this will "create a 'Delta Ecological Restoration and Recreation Area' that would allow increased angling, hunting and other recreational access, something sorely needed in a state where public access to our natural resources is rapidly dwindling." (Wolk Bill - CPR 03april2008.)

Support California Delta habitat restoration for fish and recreational access for outdoorsmen.

Today I talked to Chris Unkel, director of public policy for Ducks Unlimited, Western Region which is sponsoring AB2502. All California residents should support AB2502 by contacting their state senate & assembly representatives.
California State Legislature - Find Your Legislator & Contact Information.
Know Your Legislators - leginfo.ca.gov.

In addition, Yolo & Solano County residents should support AB2502 by contacting the county supervisor for the district in which they live.
Yolo County Board of Supervisors.
Solano County Board of Supervisors.


Yolo County Supervisor Mariko Yamada
represents my neighborhood in City of Davis. I have sent her an email strongly expressing my support of AB2502 and requesting a response explaining her position on this issue.

Whitewater kayakers & rafters should pay attention to this flatwater issue in the California Delta.

Whitewater boaters (like me) typically lose interest in water once it reaches the flatlands, but the Governor who won't increase our taxes is proposing a multi-billion dollar program of dam & canal construction. Guess who will be paying for that if it is enacted into law!! We need to unite with fishermen and other outdoorsmen to support restoration of the California Delta. If we allow all of the fish to be driven to extinction, then there will be one less reason preventing the developers from damming all of the rivers and taking away all of the water.

For more information:
Wolk Bill Will Provide Fishing Access, Habitat Restoration in California Delta - CPR 03april2008.
Support for habitat restoration in the California Delta - BRT Kayaking 25mar2008.
California Delta Water Supply Policy & CA River Conservation.
California Delta Directory - Water Policy, Conservation & Recreation. (75 sites).

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