Save the California Delta Alliance

A year ago, the Delta Independent Science Board (Delta ISB) was defunded for Fiscal Year 2020-21. In June of 2020 the Delta Stewardship Council staff discontinued contracts paying the Delta ISB members at professional scientific rates. The Delta ISB members then served without compensation until November of 2020, when the contracts were replaced by $100 per diem salaried positions, effective retroactive to July 1, 2020. The compensation change has crippled the work of the Del...ta ISB. Some are arguing that this move was actually illegal. The legislature has decided not to address the Delta ISB funding issue through the state budget, but through Senate Bill 821, Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta: Delta Independent Science Board. This is a very important and necessary bill and we applaud the Senate for their efforts. California Water Research was instrumental in uncovering this travesty and pushing for funding for this important work to be reinstated. Especially now, as projects like the False River Dam are implemented and the Single Tunnel Delta Conveyance Project EIR is being finalized, having input from independent scientists is critical. It appears the CA Senate totally appreciates the need and the urgency and is pushing ahead to get the science board funding re-established. For more info, https://cah2oresearch.com//legislation-to-save-the-delta-/

It's a quandary. On my last post, I was recommending people attend the upcoming EIR webinars and make comments. HOWEVER, this isn't the actual EIR comment period. We have a concern that DWR may be using attendance at all of these events to claim to the Governor, "See. We did all this outreach. Look at everyone who's inputs we collected." Yet remember DWR's "In Delta Meetings" a few years ago where they didn't even write down our comments. These webinars aren't official comment session, so they have no requirement to record and store our comments. They may just use these to show how hard they worked to keep the community informed and spin it to their advantage. So on-the-fence how to advise.

Mamma Mia! Here we go again! DWR moves ahead on the Tunnel Project EIR. The timeframe is coming where we will need to, once again, submit comments about this newest, latest attempt to build a tunnel. FIRST: The tunnel is not a "done deal." As DWR releases more information, we will be providing suggested comments to highlight the major issues that remain with this project. SECOND: We've successfully fought this project for a decade. Now is not the time to give up.... Anyone who can attend the webinars, we encourage you to attend and give your comments. As the materials are released, we will make some suggestions about comments ... but your heartfelt concerns and issues are always the most effective. Webinar Schedule: Operations of the State Water Project and Delta Conveyance Wednesday, July 14, 2021 | 6:00pm 7:30pm Fisheries Tuesday, August 3, 2021 | 6:00pm 7:30pm Climate Change Wednesday, August 25, 2021 | 6:00pm 7:30pm Environmental Justice Thursday, September 16, 2021 | 6:00pm 7:30pm Click here for registration links:: https://nodeltagates.com//15/dwr-moves-ahead-on-tunnel-eir/ Here is DWR's official announcement page (in case any schedules change): https://water.ca.gov//Delt/DCP-Informational-WebinarsMamma

How can it be an "emergency" when it should have been addressed by a real operational plan? No environmental review, bypassing CEQA. The False River Dam is being re-installed, even though it caused big problems last time. Why? Because the state has failed to put together a realistic operational plan of the Northern California Dams based on predicted climate change. https://www.thepress.net//article_d89f049c-c48a-11eb-be96-

Interesting reporting by Dan Bacher:

DELTA COUNTIES COALITION GOES TO BAT FOR THE DELTA INDEPENDENT SCIENCE BOARD The Delta Counties Coalition has sent a letter to Governor Newsom in support of funding the Delta Independent Science Board. They write, The Delta faces unprecedented challenges from climate change, which can worsen water quality and habitat conditions, and cause sea level rise and more frequent flooding. In addition, water supply, flood management and restoration projects have direct impacts on ...the health of the estuary and the many stakeholders that depend on it. To meet these challenges, it is critical that best available, independent science help guide actions in the Delta. Two decades ago, California agencies joined federal agencies in the signing of CALFED Record of Decision, which committed to a world class Delta science program. A key part of that commitment was to establish an Independent Science Board to provide oversight and peer review of ecosystem restoration, water supply reliability, water use efficiency and conservation, water quality, and flood management in the Delta. Oversight by the nationally prominent scientists on the DISB has never been more critical Read the entire letter here: https://mavensnotebook.com//2021-05-20-DCC-Letter-to-Gover

STCDA responds to the DWR "Delta Community Benefits" Here's the letter from the Save the California Delta Alliance submitted for the public comments on the Delta Protection Commission (DPC) website. Bottom line: We oppose the Department of Water Resources fake "Delta Community Benefits" workshop and program.

Help Gia M. from Hood (Ground Zero for Tunnel construction) save the CA Delta by convincing the Governor to say goodbye to the controversial tunnel project once... and for all. There are so many other more equitable and sustainable ways to improve our water system. The peripheral canal/tunnel idea is not getting better with age, and is more and more irrelevant to current climate and water conditions. CA DWR/DCA: Reevaluate the need for the Delta Conveyance Tunnel Project See more

People say, at the start of every disaster movie there is a scientist being ignored. As Deirdre writes, " For the past 15 years, modelers studying climate change impacts on the CVP and SWP have repeatedly warned of the need to modify reservoir operations to deal with climate change. Now, Governor Newsom’s drought emergency declaration is a direct consequence of the draining of Shasta, Folsom, and Oroville reservoirs by the Central Valley Project and State Water Project to export water from the Delta. Emergency operation of these major reservoirs will be a disaster... https://cah2oresearch.com//dwr-chief-engineer-warned-of-/

Salmon and Delta advocates criticized the Governor’s declaration for catering to large corporate agribusiness interests and pointed out the poor water manageme...nt by the state and federal governments in the Sacramento and Trinity-Klamath Basins during recent droughts. "Today Central Valley lawmakers and Governor Newsom used the drought, which is the result of climate change, to advocate for taxpayer-funded pork projects, such as private canals and the Sites Reservoir, for industrial agriculture, which uses up to 80% of the state's developed water, said Regina Chichizola, co-coordinator of Save California Salmon, in a statement. Poor water management during the last drought led to 90% of the salmon dying and toxic algal blooms in cities’ water supplies. Tribal and fishing communities are suffering," she noted. "The fact is we can't dam our way out of climate change. Industrial agriculture uses most of the state's water, while exporting their crops and offering little benefit residents of this state. California's antiquated water rights system leaves cities and the environment high and dry while almonds get clean water, emphasized Chichizola.

Here's a good article by the Sierra Club in CalMatters. It's good that an organization with as much clout as they have are finally getting heavily involved in Delta issues. https://calmatters.org//trump-era-water-rules-should-be-r/

This is too bad ... an icon on the Delta is succumbing to the pandemic restrictions. I hope they find a buyer to re-establish the great spot on the Delta for hamburgers and weekend fun.

Interesting read. Related to how much money the almond growers put into politics. (It's been true regardless of which party is in power). And info about the paid position just vacated by Kathryn Mellon, DCA, who was making $47K/month during the pandemic. https://sacramento.newsreview.com//delta-tunnel-authority/

To all you boat captains out there ... Wouldn't you have hated being the captain of the ship stuck in the Suez Canal ... especially after they said human error could have contributed? How many millions??? Keep your liability insurance up-to-date when you go dawdling around the Delta. https://www.cnn.com//suez-canal-shipping-crisis/index.html

Just for fun ... I saw this article in my National Geographic email ... "Would you eat an invasive species?" It starts out: TWO WORDS THAT don’t look tempting on a menu? Swamp and rat. At least that’s the dark-humored consensus among a literal boatload of chefs. The two dozen chefs in this open boat are here at the invitation of local scientists who need their help saving Louisiana’s threatened wetlands. The swamp rat in question is the invasive nutria, which is chewin...g up so much land the state has placed a six-dollar-per-tail bounty on the rodent. Since the nutria are invading the Delta and threatening our levees, it seemed like a relevant question to post. Hmmm. https://www.nationalgeographic.com//eating-invasive-speci/

Heritage High School graduate, Layne Fajeau, advocating for the Delta. Nice article. https://www.thepress.net//article_4daf3b2a-4b8d-11eb-9c54-

Happy Holidays from Save the California Delta Alliance! 2020 certainly has been an interesting year for new experiences, time to bond at home and learning to Zoom. It is our sincerest hope that you and your loved ones have been able to cope and have remained healthy! Karen Mann, our 2020 STCDA President, has written you a holiday message (see her entire update below).... Thank you for your continued support and encouragement in this battle to Stop the Tunnel. Even One Tunnel is too many! Karen has been a member of the tunnel Stakeholder Engagement Meetings all year ... read her entire update report to learn what has happened and where we are in the fight. The bottom line is we wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for your continued support both financially and emotionally. We are expecting a new order of signs after the first of the year and we would love to deliver your signs for your home, business, and dock area. Of note, Michael Brodsky, has been working behind the scenes in research and developing the case to fight the tunnel again. His last visit to the Court resulted in a victorious outcome unfortunately, the war continues. Your donations will be appreciated to assist us in defraying the costs of insurance, signage, expert witnesses, and other expenses incurred. Happy Holidays, Karen J. Mann, President 2020 Save the California Delta Alliance (STCDA) https://nodeltagates.com//12/25/holiday-message-from-stcda/

Not looking good for salmon and smelt. No more rain until 2021. And the prospects for the survival of Delta smelt, imperiled salmon and other fish species are grim unless the state and federal governments allow more quality water to flow into the San Francisco Bay-Delta ecosystem at critical times. And the Delta Tunnel that Governor Gavin Newsom is promoting will only make things worse https://www.dailykos.com//-Estuary-in-Collapse-Zero-Delta-

A great write-up in the December 2020 Bay & Delta Yachtsman magazine by Bill Wells on the latest "WaterFraud Update" The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers requested comments on the Delta Conveyance Project plan to divert the Sacramento River around the Delta with a tunnel starting at Hood. Michael Brodsky, an attorney for the Save the California Delta Alliance submitted six pages of comments explaining why the project should be stopped. The Delta Chambers, Delta Legacy Communities...Continue reading

The Delta Conveyance Design & Construction Authority (DCA) has touted that they are running an open and transparent process engaging Delta community input via the Shareholder Engagement Committee (SEC) as part of the Single Tunnel process. But two of the Committee members have sharp words for the SEC process. Karen Mann rightly referred to the methods being used by the DCA to control the SEC as Orwellian and calls out the process as being a sham. https://nodeltagates.com//a-revolt-against-the-tunnel-pro/