El Nino Likely No Help For Northern California’s Reservoirs – 8/26/15

Don’t expect El Niño to end the drought or increase rain and snow in Northern California.

“The strongest signal for El Niño for the storm track to increase in activity is for Southern California,” says Meteorologist Michelle Mead, with the National Weather Service in Sacramento. “California is a pretty large state, and, while we do have reservoirs in Southern California, the major reservoirs that are responsible for the water management of the state are actually located in Northern California.” Click here for full article.

Newly Updated Drought Tips for Farmers – 8/26/15

DAVIS, Calif. — Drought strategies for managing alfalfa and many other crops are available free from UC Agriculture and Natural Resources. As California endures a fourth year of drought and ever-tightening water supplies, water-management strategies have become even more critical to farmers.

To help farmers make the best use of the water they have available, a series of new and updated drought tips fact sheets has been developed by UC ANR scientists and funded by the California Department of Water Resources. Click here for full article.

California Water Plan ENEWS – 8/26/15

This week’s Water Plan eNews includes:

  • California’s drought response to be examined at joint agency workshop
  • More materials from draft UWMP Guidebook hearing posted online
  • New date set for webinar on four chapters of Groundwater Update 2013
  • DWR releases draft guidelines for groundwater planning, and basin grants
  • NASA radar images reveal Central Valley land subsidence
  • Groundwater association offers a symposium on creating a sustainability plan
  • Delta Plan performance measures on the next agenda for the DSC

California Water Plan Enews – 8/19/15

This week’s Water Plan eNews includes:

  • DWR advisory group offers climate change perspective and guidance
  • CalEPA reports on research plan needed to address climate change
  • Project WET providing a climate science curriculum for teachers
  • Sierra Nevada Conservancy opens draft strategic plan to public comments
  • How NASA satellite missions are contributing to water resource management
  • Groundwater basin overdraft to be discussed at meeting and webinar
  • Sharing strategies for creating successful water rate structures
  • California’s Groundwater Update 2013 webinar postponed

Bring Back the Natives/More Fish Grant Program – National Wildlife Federation

The Bring Back the Natives/More Fish program invests in conservation activities that restore, protect, and enhance native populations of sensitive or listed fish species across the United States, especially in areas on or adjacent to federal agency lands. The program emphasizes coordination between private landowners and federal agencies, tribes, corporations, and states to improve the ecosystem functions and health of watersheds. The end result is conservation of aquatic ecosystems, increase of in-stream flows, and partnerships that benefit native fish species throughout the U.S. This funding opportunity also provides grants to implement the goals of the National Fish Habitat Action Plan (www.fishhabitat.org).

Priority Landscapes and Species include: Western native trout and char, including California Golden trout, Eagle Lake Rainbow trout, Lahontan, Rio Grande, Yellowstone, Colorado and Westslope Cutthroat trout, Bull trout, Apache trout and Gila trout.

Since 1991, over 400 projects have been supported through Bring Back the Natives/More Fish. A total of $20 million in NFWF funds has leveraged an additional $51 million in matching contributions for this program.

Click here for more information.

State of the Trout 2015 – Trout Unlimited

This report details the status and trends within 28 separate species and subspecies of trout and char that are native to the U.S. Trout naturally occur in 38 of the 50 United States. Of 28 native trout species and subspecies, three are extinct and six are listed as Threatened or Endangered. Excluding the extinct trout, 52 percent (13 of 25) occupy less than 25 percent of their historical habitat and are at high risk from at least one major threat. All native trout face some level of risk. Click here for the full study.

California Water ENEWS – 8/12/15

This week’s Water Plan eNews includes:

  • Turf and toilet replacement rebates are available to California homeowners
  • Symposium offers the latest research for dealing with climate change in California
  • Series of water audit workshops begins this month in Thousand Oaks
  • Asking what might happen if California’s drought continues for another year
  • Direct potable reuse seminar on tap next month in Berkeley
  • Applications being accepted for $31 million in restoration project funding
  • California Water Commission heading to Los Angeles for next week’s meeting

CDFW Releases Prop 1 Proposal Solicitation Notice – 8/5/15

Proposition 1 includes $372,500,000 to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) to fund multi-benefit ecosystem and watershed protection and restoration projects. CDFW will distribute these funds on a competitive basis through two grant programs, collectively referred to as the Proposition 1 Restoration Grant Programs. The Watershed Restoration Grant Program ($285,000,000) will focus on watershed restoration and protection projects of statewide importance outside of the Delta. The Delta Water Quality and Ecosystem Restoration Grant Program ($87,500,000) will focus on water quality, ecosystem restoration and fish protection facilities that benefit the Delta. Click here for Solicitation Notice.