This week’s California Water Plan eNews includes:

• Tribal advisory committee sets June date for planning meeting in Los Angeles
• Update 2018 advisory committee meeting summary posted by DWR
• Webinar will explore using stormwater to help recharge California’s groundwater
• New radar system should help Bay Area flood control managers
• Notices of interest in federal grant program must be submitted by June 15
• New location chosen for next California Water Quality Monitoring Council meeting
• Some ideas to provide water providers with non-traditional revenue

This week’s California Water Plan eNews includes:

• Comments being accepted on draft PSP for funding of groundwater sustainability
• California’s climate change strategy outlined in resource agency’s draft report
• Report offers ways to integrate climate science into management plans
• Oroville Dam update is on the agenda of the next California Water Commission meeting
• Israeli delegation to participate in Sacramento water and agriculture forum
• EPA webinars will provide overview of Water Finance Clearinghouse
• Reclamation releases pilot version of water information website

This week’s California Water Plan eNews includes:

• Stakeholders offer their perspectives on sustaining IRWM in California
• Webinar set for applicants of the Water Storage Investment Program
• Sea-level rise report provides updated information for greenhouse gas scenarios
• An approach for corporate water targets from a different point of view
• Policy paper takes a look at lessons learned on modeling in the Delta
• The annual California Invasive Species Action Week will begin June 3

Sponsorship Opportunities!

2017 Sierra Water Workgroup Summit 

July 24-25 in Kings Beach, CA

Over the past ten years and across the State, diverse groups have been coming together to create model Integrated Regional Water Management Plans (IRWMPs) to ensure reliable water supply, protect water quality and restore watersheds.  While in various stages of pre-planning, planning and implementation, IRWMPs now cover almost the entire State of California, all of the Sierra and Cascade Regions. The Sierra Water Workgroup mission is to assist regional efforts to protect and enhance water quality, water supply, and watershed health; to develop cooperative regional responses; and to facilitate reinvestment in our watersheds and water resources by all beneficiaries.

The 2017 Sierra Water Work Group Summit, sponsored by the State Bar of California, Environmental Law Section, the Sierra Nevada Conservancy, and the Sierra Nevada Alliance will take place in Kings Beach, CA. The Summit theme this year is Legal and Legislative Strategies to Protect our Headwaters.

Our 2017 keynote speaker Martha Davis is the Executive Manager for Policy Development at the Inland Empire Utilities Agency (IEUA). Ms. Davis is responsible for the Agency’s legislative and policy development programs, including special initiatives addressing renewable energy, water supply development, and water quality protection. Previously, Ms. Davis served as the Executive Director for Californians and the Land and the Mono Lake Committee.

This year’s Summit is a one and a half-day workshop focused on headwater issues state-wide. The theme “Legal and Legislative Strategies to Protecting our Headwaters”.

We will spend the first day framing questions and strategies regarding how Headwaters issues can be addressed with legislative and policy strategies. First we will focus on a legal panel of experts, then 4 main breakouts:

• Unrepresented (DAC definition, human rights to water, tribal involvement);
• Climate Change (water quality, water supply, forest management);
• Integrated Regional Water Management Areas
• Coordinated Advocacy for the Headwaters

On our second day we will have the opportunity to hear from legislative members/staff on how the State and Federal government is addressing headwater issues. Then there will be a faciltated discussion by all participants on the strategies developed by stakeholders, and how dollars are expected to follow those policy trends. This year’s summit will also include a field trip.

To find out more about the Sierra Water Workgroup event, and how to sponsor the event please contact SWWG Fiscal Manager Holly Jorgenson by email at holly@sacriver.org or Director Liz Mansfield by email lhmansfield@gmail.com or by phone (916)273-0488.

This week’s California Water Plan eNews includes:

• New executive order lifts drought state of emergency for most of California
• Using lessons from the recent drought, State releases long-term water use plan
• Watershed University set to begin a series of monthly, one-hour webinars
• Two-day conference on developing a GSP set for next month in Modesto
• California Water Commission to receive briefing, updates on SGMA
• Sierra Fund holding Sierra headwater conference, Sacramento River tour
• P3 summit offers ideas on managing and improving water systems

In 2014 the Sierra Nevada Conservancy compiled the latest research on forest and watershed health in the Sierra Nevada and produced the first State of the Sierra Nevada’s Forests Report. However, when the 2014 report was released, tree mortality wasn’t even mentioned. This 2017 update to the State of the Sierra Nevada’s Forests report explores the changes the Region has experienced since 2014, and outlines the long-term consequences of those conditions. The SOS Report is available online at www.sierranevada.ca.gov/our-work/state-of-the-sierra.

This week’s California Water Plan eNews includes:

• Update 2018 Policy Advisory Committee to meet next month in Sacramento
• Workshop to offer answers for Water Storage Investment Program applicants
• New LAO report examines California’s floods, flood management
• First phase of 10-year plan to improve public health and habitat of Salton Sea released
• Comments being accepted on updated guidelines for SNC’s Prop. 1 grant program
• Sustainable irrigation to be the focus of a one-day program at UC Davis
• Guidelines for public water system management outlined in new report

USFS Region 5 – Capacity Building Workshop

Sierra Nevada Conservancy Seeking Public Input on Grant Guidelines

The Sierra Nevada Conservancy (SNC) is seeking public input on updated grant guidelines for the Conservancy’s Proposition 1 grant program. The SNC grant program is funded by Proposition 1, the Water Quality, Supply, and Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2014, which was passed by voters in November 2014.

The SNC is proposing that the second grant round will continue to focus on forest health projects, including projects to reduce the risk of large, damaging wildfires. These types of projects are specifically called out in Proposition 1 and the California Water Action Plan, in recognition of the critical role watersheds play in California’s water future.

A series of three public workshops will be held in early April 2017 to gather public comment and familiarize potential grantees with the application process. Dates and locations of these workshops to be announced soon.

To access the draft Grant Guidelines on the SNC website, please click here. Interested parties can submit comments via email to grants.SNC@sierranevada.ca.gov or by mail to Sierra Nevada Conservancy, Attn: Grants Administration, 11521 Blocker Drive, Suite 205, Auburn, CA 95603.

Public comments will be accepted through Friday, April 14, 2017.

This week’s California Water Plan eNews includes:

• Applications being accepted to fund public benefits of water storage projects
• Technical memo and appendices released for Central Valley flood plan
• Climate change resolution passed by State Water Resources Control Board
• $20 million approved for California streamflow enhancement projects
• Project proposals for wetlands enhancement funding are due this week
• Data portal to be featured at next SRWP committee meeting
• UC Davis to host Rustici Rangeland Science Symposium next week