Oroville Forensic Investigation Team welcomes information about spillway incident.
The email address to which information should be sent is: Oroville.forensic@gmail.com.
Due to the potential to receive a large number of emails, the forensic team may not be able to reply to emails.
Some entities, including public utilities, sewage districts and local governments, currently provide rebate programs for participation in water conservation or stormwater management measures.
“Our legislation creates an important exemption for conservation and storm management rebates that will encourage Nevadans to conserve water.
Water is a critical resource, and conservation efforts are essential to Western states like Nevada, which is why I want to thank Senator Feinstein for working with me to address this important issue.” “This bill ensures that homeowners who make smart investments in water conservation aren’t unfairly penalized,” Bennet said.
More than 20,000 shutoffs in two years as additional rate hikes expected with the Delta Tunnels Los Angeles— Food & Water Watch, Union de Vecinos, Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment, POWER, the Environmental Justice Coalition for Water and other community groups today released information showing that 20,000 Los Angeles County households experienced water shutoffs over the last two years in the cities of Los Angeles, Long Beach, and South Gate.
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power shut off service to 9,105 households in 2015 and 2016.
These water agencies could soon subject their customers to additional rate hikes to pay for the controversial Delta tunnels project, which would force higher water rates throughout Southern California.
A recent Michigan State University study found that over the next five years, more than a third of households nationwide could be unable to afford this essential service.

Drinking water crisis ends in Mt.
Shasta.
“Repeat samples show no E.coli or fecal coliform bacteria in the Mt.
Shasta spring source,” Andrew DiLuccia, a spokesman for the State Water Resources Control Board, said Tuesday.
The city of Mt.
Some restaurants reportedly closed because they couldn’t ensure diner’s safety.
The believers come by the thousands, searching and exploring the giant peak’s myth and magic.
They come from around the world, from more than 50 countries, to explore the giant peak, 14,180 feet tall and 17 miles across.
Lezlie Sterling The Sacramento Bee Sign up Get the Daily Afternoon Bulletin with a quick summary of the day’s biggest news at 4 p.m. Sign up here.
Ryan Sabalow: 916-321-1264, @ryansabalow Never miss a local story.

OROVILLE CONSTRUCTION UPDATE: Lake Oroville Spillways Work Continues, Updates on Related Activities.
In the past two weeks, Kiewit has focused on removing the lower 2,000 feet, or lower chute, of the gated flood control spillway (also known as the main spillway.)
Kiewit, last week, began preliminary foundation preparation work where portions of the new lower chute will be constructed.
Kiewit continues to use controlled blasting to break away rock and concrete from the portions of the chute that will be removed and replaced this year.
Board of Consultants (BOC) Memo 6 The sixth BOC memo was transmitted to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).
Lake levels update DWR will manage observed and forecasted reservoir inflow with necessary releases to achieve a safe and reasonable lake level into the fall that takes into account the needs for public safety first and foremost.
The lake level was 825 feet.
In 2015 there were 25,300 visitors and the lake level was 740 feet.
Siren for construction emergencies installed DWR on Friday tested a siren installed near the main spillway to alert workers on site of a construction-related emergency.
DWR is committed to informing the surrounding communities and the general public about the work being done to repair the spillways at Lake Oroville and related impacts to roads, recreation, public access and surrounding infrastructure and ecosystems.

: The Association of State Dam Safety Officials (ASDSO) and the United States Society on Dams (USSD) are nationally and internationally recognized organizations consisting of dam engineering professionals who are committed to advancing the profession of dam engineering and dam safety.
On behalf of the U.S. and international profession and in a spirit of cooperation and support, the ASDSO and USSD leadership created a joint volunteer task group to perform an international search for and selection of the members of the Oroville Spillway Incident Forensic Investigation Team.
It is important to emphasize that 1) ASDSO and USSD contacted the California Department of Water Resources (CA DWR) to offer this assistance; and 2) the team of forensic experts was chosen by the joint organizational task group not only for its expertise but also for its independence.
The Investigation Team is tasked with fully examining all aspects of the spillway incident and offering expert views to both the public and to stakeholders without direction from DWR or other parties of interest.
Pertinent data is being provided to the Investigation Team and is currently under review by the team.
The ASDSO and USSD joint organizational task group emphasizes the need for a comprehensive, independent investigation to ensure that the possible causes of the incident are evaluated based on the most accurate and complete information available.
This includes two members selected for their expertise in how human and organizational factors may contribute to dam safety incidents.
These factors are a critical part of the investigation and will be addressed in the Investigation Team’s final report, which should be complete this fall.
The preliminary memorandum released in early May was not intended to serve as a report but rather a list of possible candidate physical factors that may have contributed to the spillway incident, so that these factors could be appropriately considered in the design and construction of the repairs.
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THIS JUST IN … Fifth Memo from Board of Consultants on Oroville Spillways Available.
From the Department of Water Resources: The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) today posted the fifth memo prepared by the independent Board of Consultants (BOC) regarding the spillways at Lake Oroville.
Following prior protocol set for the release of all BOC documents, the memo has been released with Critical Energy Infrastructure Information (CEII) redacted.
The BOC is tasked with providing feedback and oversight on DWR’s design and construction plans for recovery of the Lake Oroville spillways.
The BOC uses an iterative process to collect and provide this feedback, and this is the fifth memo prepared for DWR in that process.
The fifth memo from the Board of Consultants is posted here: http://www.water.ca.gov/oroville-spillway/bocreports.cfm Along with the redacted memo, DWR has also posted a summary of the memo.
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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…

Oroville Dam crisis sprang from Pat Brown’s towering ambition; Oroville Dam could be built on shaky ground; Who will pay for spillway repairs?
In California water news this weekend, ‘Lethal arrogance’?
Oroville Dam crisis sprang from Pat Brown’s towering ambition; Oroville Dam could be built on shaky ground; Who will pay for spillway repairs?
; Rains brought super bloom – and toxic invaders; Record Sierra runoff churns hope in rafting community; Water flows again, but it’s deadly; No more Sierra snow?
; Delta Independent Science Board holds community meeting in Ryde; Major shark die-off in San Francisco Bay; Padre Dam gets project OK and $116 million from state; Senate subcommittee holds hearing on infrastructure funding; and Science is clear: the tunnels will hurt the Delta, says the East Bay Times In the news this weekend … ‘Lethal arrogance’?
Some residents say the Department of Water Resources should pay for it, since the state department is responsible for maintaining and operating Lake Oroville as part of the State Water Project.
… ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee here: No more Sierra snow?
… ” Read more at the East Bay Times here: Major shark die-off in San Francisco Bay Padre Dam gets project OK and $116 million from state: “Padre Dam Municipal Water District has gotten approval from the state to continue its water purification project and a $116 million grant.
… ” Read more from the East Bay Times here: Science is clear: the tunnels will hurt the Delta Click here to read more editions of the Daily Digest.
Maven’s Notebook where California water news never goes home for the weekend

OROVILLE UPDATE: Spillway Work Continues, Construction Update.
The following is an update from the Department of Water Resources (DWR) about construction-related activities on the Lake Oroville Spillways Recovery project.
DWR is committed to informing the public about the work being done to repair the damaged spillways and related impacts to roads, recreation, public access and surrounding infrastructure.
DWR is improving construction access to the gated (main) spillway for construction activities by using controlled blasting to remove portions of the exposed rock.
These releases will lower Lake Oroville levels and continue making space for expected snowmelt.
The gates are anticipated to close between May 20-25 to allow for critical construction work on the main spillway.
This is expected and will not delay construction.
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Local drought watch persists; spillway project nearing completion.
Typically, the rain gauge at Lake Ogletree, Auburn’s primary water source, reaches nearly 15 inches between February and March.
This year, only 9.4 inches fell on the lake, according to Eric Carson, Auburn’s Water Resource Management director.
The Auburn Water Works Board enacted a Phase I drought watch April 21, issuing voluntary restrictions for water customers.
Along with dryer-than-usual conditions, the department is rounding out construction of a new spillway to replace the original 75-year-old one.
Usage also shot up earlier than usual this year, adding to the need for the drought watch, Carson said.
Warmer weather affecting lake The lake will continue to drop as warmer weather continues, allowing workers to finish concrete work on the spillway within the next four to six weeks.
“We’re not going to call the watch off.
He also emphasized the impact of watering at the proper times, between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m., and on alternating days.
“ For some reason, a lot of people like to water on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and our demand will go through the roof on those days,” Carson said.

Typically, the rain gauge at Lake Ogletree, Auburn’s primary water source, reaches nearly 15 inches between February and March.
This year, only 9.4 inches fell on the lake, according to Eric Carson, Auburn’s Water Resource Management director.
The Auburn Water Works Board enacted a Phase I drought watch April 21, issuing voluntary restrictions for water customers.
Along with dryer-than-usual conditions, the department is rounding out construction of a new spillway to replace the original 75-year-old one.
Usage also shot up earlier than usual this year, adding to the need for the drought watch, Carson said.
Warmer weather affecting lake The lake will continue to drop as warmer weather continues, allowing workers to finish concrete work on the spillway within the next four to six weeks.
“We’re not going to call the watch off.
We may not, it just all depends how the weather and the summer demands go.” Carson asked customers to simply “use water wisely” to benefit the whole community.
“ For some reason, a lot of people like to water on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and our demand will go through the roof on those days,” Carson said.
The city also released its 2016 Consumer Confidence Report that notifies customers about the quality and safety of their drinking water.