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Posts published in “Day: June 4, 2017”

Water Digest – June 5

June 4, 2017

Water rights weekly report for May 22. For much more news, links and detail, see the National Water Rights Digest.

California lawmakers acted decisively Tuesday to make fixes to the state’s broken water management structure. Assembly Bill 313, introduced by Assemblyman Adam C. Gray (D-Merced), overwhelmingly passed the California Assembly with an initial 55-0 vote. The bill makes necessary reforms to how the state manages water rights.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began flood fight operations throughout the Central U.S., along the Mississippi and tributary rivers, in response to heavy rainfall on April 28-30 . High water flows are impacting navigation and stressing federal and non-federal levee systems.

The Bureau of Reclamation announces that Klamath River emergency dilution flows will not be required in 2017 to mitigate the effects of a parasite called Ceratanova shasta (or C. shasta) on outmigrating juvenile salmon. The announcement is made following weeks of monitoring parasite spore concentrations and prevalence of C. shasta infection among outmigrating salmon, and monitoring conducted by Oregon State University, the Karuk Tribe and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The Bureau of Reclamation has released the Finding of No Significant Impact for the approval to transfer recaptured Restoration Flows from Friant Division long-term contractors to Pleasant Valley Water District during 2017. The FONSI is based on the analysis of potential impacts analyzed and disclosed in the 2013 Recirculation of Recaptured Water Year 2013-2017 San Joaquin River Restoration Program Flows Environmental Assessment.

Idaho Briefing – June 5

June 4, 2017

This is a summary of a few items in the Idaho Weekly Briefing for May 22. Interested in subscribing? Send us a note at stapilus@ridenbaugh.com.

A visit from the federal secretaries of Interior and Agriculture spotlighted the problem of wildfires, of which Idaho is just now starting to see its first this season. 2017 could be a relatively light fire year, however, given the heavy precipitation and still-large snowpack.

On May 31, the State Board of Education announced a revised process for selecting the inaugural Board of Trustees for the College of Eastern Idaho. Based on community interest and feedback from local leaders, the State Board will expedite the selection of trustees, allowing the new community college to begin operations sooner.

The Idaho Fish and Game commission reopened spring Chinook salmon fishing on portions of the Clearwater River and the Little and Lower Salmon Rivers starting June 3 with several changes to the previous seasons that closed May 24.

Representative Raul Labrador launches his campaign for governor on May 30 at events around Idaho, including at Post Falls Boise, and Idaho Falls.

The Bureau of Reclamation is increasing flows in the upper Snake River below Jackson Lake and Palisades dams because of continued warmer than normal temperatures that have resulted in increased spring runoff from snowmelt.

Mosquitoes infected with West Nile virus were detected in Bannock County on June 1, 2017, prompting health officials to remind people to take precautions to fight the bite. he positive mosquitoes, which are the first detected in the state this year, were collected by the Bannock County Mosquito Abatement District.

State regulators have determined that nearly $10 million spent by Avista Utilities on energy-efficiency programs in Idaho in 2014 and 2015 was prudently incurred.

The city of Nampa invites members of the community to give their opinions about local transportation needs at an afternoon workshop on Thursday, June 8.