Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson recently provided a fresh and compelling viewpoint in the Sacramento Bee that the “State needs more water, not just improved sharing.” The Northern California Water Association (NCWA) and our partners in the North State Water Alliance are committed to statewide water solutions that advance the economy, environment, and quality of life in Northern California. We have been a strong proponent that California needs a more comprehensive water plan than just a narrow Delta solution. We share the Mayor’s belief “that Governor Brown can come up with an innovative solution when it comes to water policy,” which should include his administration immediately developing a more “comprehensive statewide water plan.”

It is rare when a Grand Jury report makes positive statements. Yet, the Butte County Grand Jury report for 2012-13 highlighted the importance of water to Butte County and complimented the water districts and county in the way that water is managed for the benefit of Butte County, as well as presenting the major challenges … Continue reading “Good Water Management in Butte County”

Sharing the story with you of the successes of the “award winning*” Butte Creek Fish Passage Improvement Project never gets old. Year in and year out, the locals wait for salmon to show up at their “favorite spots.” My favorite spot is at Durnel Bridge between Durham and Nelson.

Twenty years ago, implementation of the Central Valley Project Improvement Act (CVPIA) began, bringing about a new era of fish passage improvement.  The legislation established two programs, the Anadromous Fish Restoration Program (AFRP) and the Anadromous Fish Screen Program (AFSP) which authorized federal funding for fish passage and fish screen projects. The AFSP, in particular, … Continue reading “Celebrating Two Decades of Fish Passage Improvements in the Sacramento Valley”