BLOG ROUND-UP: Are pumps killing fish or ammonia from water treatment plants?, Evading dam nation, headwaters, Trump and the EPA, and more ….
A group called “Families Protecting the Valley,” recently used this and a 2008 story from another newspaper to once-again emphasize that the fish problems inherent in the Delta are not because of the large pumps that move water from the Delta near Tracy to San Luis Reservoir, but are likely caused by ammonia brought on by municipal wastewater plants flushing the collective toilets of large cities into the Delta.
Recent storms “exposed problems with Sacramento-area wastewater systems that failed to contain sewage.”: Families Protecting the Valley writes, “We have been saying for a long time that too much emphasis is being put on how much water farmers use and too little time spent on how much sewage is flowing into the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.
Recent storms “exposed problems with Sacramento-area wastewater systems that failed to contain sewage.” Fish First, Then People!
The Cosumnes is the only river draining the western Sierra Nevada Mountains that has no major dam.
… ” Read more from the California Water Blog here: Evading Dam-Nation to build a working floodplain on the Cosumnes River Why the headwaters matter for natural infrastructure: “When most people think about water infrastructure, they picture reservoirs, canals, and levees.
… ” Read more from the American Rivers blog here: Why the headwaters matter for natural infrastructure The Changing Conversation in the Sacramento Valley: The Northern California Water Association blog writes, “The Northern California Water Association (NCWA) last week celebrated its 25th Annual Meeting at the Sierra Nevada Brewery in Chico with a focus on The Changing Conversation in the Sacramento Valley.
But there is, as yet, little agreement about what specific investments should be made.
… ” Read more from the Pacific Institute Insights blog here: National Water Infrastructure Efforts Must Expand Access to Public Drinking Fountains Sign up for daily email service and you’ll never miss a post!
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Due to this extensive reclamation and the damming of most of the Central Valley’s rivers, the Valley lost nearly all of its native habitat with a few notable exceptions, such as the Cosumnes River watershed.
Between 1900 and 1974, there were five distinct water projects totaling more than 30 dams proposed for the Cosumnes River.
These two land uses happened to be compatible with waterfowl and some native habitat types like vernal pools and riparian forests.
Unlike the riparian forest stands in the lower watershed, waterfowl have resided in the region, as well as the rest of the Central Valley, for more than a million years.
Due to the Cosumnes’ annual flooding, farmers opted to grow crops that could be planted and harvested before the unregulated deluge could destroy their agricultural investment.
TNC, along with its myriad partners, quickly realized that other rare habitat types and bird species resided in the lower watershed and capitalized on their presence to create a cutting-edge conservation model for the Delta.
The Cosumnes River Preserve today protects the Cosumnes’ free flow, floodplain, and rare native habitats.
As a result of the Cosumnes River Preserve’s innovative public-private partnership management model and restoration techniques, state policymakers today look to the Cosumnes River as a restoration model for other rivers in the Central Valley and for the Delta.
She completed her senior honors thesis, “Evading Dam-Nation: Land Use History of the Lower Cosumnes River Watershed, ca.
“Managing the Sacramento Valley Vernal Pool Landscape to Sustain the Native Flora.” In Ecology, Conservation, and Management of Vernal Pool Ecosystems – Proceedings from a 1996 Conference, edited by C.W.

From the Department of Water Resources: Crews removing a debris pile, estimated at roughly 1.5 million cubic yards, continue to make progress two days after the Department of Water Resources (DWR) halted flows down the damaged flood control spillway.
Lake Oroville is not expected to rise above 860 feet elevation while spillway flows are halted.
That lake level would be 41 feet below the level of the emergency spillway.
“We are working around-the-clock to get the power plant back online.” DWR does not expect the anticipated wet weather to interfere with debris removal or to create a lake elevation concern.
This complex of small reservoirs just downstream of Oroville Dam will provide enough water to maintain flows for approximately six days.
Work continues on the area below the emergency spillway, access roads, and other areas eroded by the emergency spillway runoff.
DWR continues to monitor the status of the dam, spillways, the Hyatt Power Plant and the progress of repair activities.
For a timeline of events regarding the Oroville spillway incident: http://www.water.ca.gov/oroville-spillway/index.cfm The latest photos from Department of Water Resources … Biologists from Fish and Wildlife and the California Department of Water Resources count the small salmon captured after the waters of the Feather River receded from the reduced outflow from the damaged Oroville Dam spillway.
Brian Baer/ California Department of Water Resources, FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY The latest video from Oroville … ——————————————– Sign up for daily email service and you’ll always be one of the first to know!
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