Governor Brown Cuts Over $100 Million for Drought Response in Revised State Budget

SACRAMENTO, CA, May 12, 2017 – Governor Brown’s May revision of the California Budget released Thursday slashed over $100 million in funds designated for drought response. With the drought officially declared “over” in April, the remaining $63 million intended for the state’s drought package will go to CalFire. The San Jose Mercury News reported on these changes Thursday noting: “In January, before heavy winter rains came, the governor proposed increasing the state budget by $179 million to address the five-year drought. Now, having declared it over in April, he proposes to reduce that increase to $63 million, with much of the remaining money to go for increased firefighting — from more fire engines to longer hours at CalFire stations — to deal with the risk from 100 million dead trees in the Sierra Nevada and to help with emergency water supplies…

DAILY DIGEST, Easter Sunday edition: How the drought changed California forever; Explainer: The 8 stations in the Northern Sierra 8-station index; California tribes fear abysmal salmon run could trigger public health crisis; and more …

; Bids for Oroville Dam repair top state estimates; $275.4 million the lowest; Governor defends State’s handling of Oroville Dam Spillway emergency; ‘Broken promises’: County officials, public sound off on current and historical problems at Oroville Dam; USGS finds vast reserves of salty groundwater underneath California; Report: We can’t stop sea level rise, only slow it down; How legalized marijuana applies to boaters; and more … In the news this weekend … How the drought changed California forever: “California’s historic five-year drought is officially over, washed away with the relentlessly drenching rains, floods and snowstorms of this winter.
“This was the wake-up call of the century.” … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News here: How the drought changed California forever State will increase water deliveries to Southern California: “State officials said Friday Southern California water agencies will soon get close to a full of allotment of water — 85 percent — following several winter storms that broke rain and snow records across the state.
The announcement came one week after Gov.
Bids for Oroville Dam repair top state estimates; $275.4 million the lowest: “Blowing past state officials’ financial projections, three construction contractors submitted bids for the Oroville Dam repairs that begin at $275 million, the Department of Water Resources said Saturday.
… ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee here: Bids for Oroville Dam repair top state estimates; $275.4 million the lowest Governor defends State’s handling of Oroville Dam Spillway emergency: “California Gov.
… ” Read more from CBS News here: Governor defends State’s handling of Oroville Dam Spillway emergency ‘Broken promises’: County officials, public sound off on current and historical problems at Oroville Dam: “A deluge of grievances regarding long-stalled relicensing, management and repairs at the Oroville Dam prompted by the recent crisis at the reservoir were aired at the Butte County Board of Supervisors meeting Tuesday (April 11).
If we encounter it in the course of our operations, we will enforce those laws,” says Lt. Cmdr.
… ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee here: Dear California water officials: After Oroville Dam scare, why should we trust you?
“There is no river like the Eel.
Maven’s Notebook where California water news never goes home for the weekend