Around the Region

Harder tops new Red to Blue list
Just after his strong finish in one of California’s most crowded “jungle” primaries, Josh Harder has jumped to the top of the list of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s Red to Blue program. Red to Blue provides “fundraising and organizational support” to candidates, “with demonstrated abilities to build a winning campaign infrastructure,” and, “strong records of service and deep ties to the communities they aim to represent.” Read more here.

OID: wheels of justice grind slow
It’s hard to keep up with all the violations, infractions, and environmental depredations at the Oakdale Irrigation District (OID), in part because the wheels of justice grind slowly. Way back in 2015, charges were brought against incumbent OID Board member Al Bairos for violating campaign funding regulations. Initially, Bairos refused to cooperate with investigators. Now, authorities at Fair Political Practices Commission say Bairos is guilty of failure to disclose campaign contributions and should be fined $16,000. Garth Stapley has the full story here.

Harder’s endorsements soar
Josh Harder’s campaign continues to garner coveted endorsements, with the latest coming from the Modesto Bee and Dr. CV Allen, one of Modesto’s most highly regarded citizens and an early force in the establishment of Modesto’s Memorial Hospital. Dr. Allen has written Bee OP/ED columns critical of our current health care system and was persuaded Josh Harder is the best congressional candidate to work on a fix. The Bee editorial endorsed Harder over several other candidates while ripping Michael Eggman for claiming to be a “local farmer” when he actually sold his farm last year. Read the Bee editorial here.

Progressive water conference brainstorm coming
On the Public Record is hands down the finest source for informed and expert commentary on California water issues. Many of those informed water experts will be at the Progressive Water Conference in Fresno on May 19. The progressive water brainstorm is scheduled for 1:00pm, May 19, at the Big Red Church, 2131 Van Ness Boulevard, in Fresno. The conference is certain to feature many of our most forward-thinking citizens with a special focus on water issues in the San Joaquin Valley and beyond. Read more here.

Has DCCC soured on Michael Eggman?
According to almost all local political insiders, it was the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) that brokered the deal that sent TJ Cox to campaign in California Congressional District 21 (CA-21) well after he had entered the race in Congressional District 10 (CA-10). Cox was sent off to CA-21 because the DCCC had brought in late entry Michael Eggman after a poll showed he was ahead of the crowded CA-21 field by a strong margin. The theory was that a strong candidate like Cox could take CA-21 and that Eggman’s name recognition would carry him to victory in CA-10, where he had run twice previously. But now, Eggman doesn’t even appear on the DCCC’s official “Red to Blue” fundraising website. What gives? TJ Cox is present, but no Eggman. It’s a mysterious omission and makes one wonder what the DCCC is thinking, if it IS thinking. Has the DCCC soured on Michael Eggman after coaxing him into entering the race? If so, why?

Stanislaus and Merced Counties among most affected by tariffs
San Joaquin Valley farmers voted overwhelmingly for Donald Trump and are now caught up in his wrath against the state of California. Trump’s initiation of a trade war with China resulted in Chinese threats of tariffs on a host of California exports, including wine, fruits, and nuts. Now, the Brookings institute has released a list of west coast counties most affected by the possibilities of Chinese tariffs. Included in the list are Stanislaus and Merced Counties. Read more here.

Harder gains traction
Candidate for congress in California’s Congressional District 10, Josh Harder continued his fundraising success over the first quarter of 2018 by raising over $350,000 dollars. Harder has already amassed more money than Michael Eggman did during the entire two-year cycle of the previous off-year election in 2014; he’s raised over $1.3 million over the course of the campaign so far. Harder also outpolled Eggman in an internal poll run by the Harder Campaign, which showed Harder polling better against incumbent Jeff Denham than Eggman, who lost to Denham in 2014 and again in the 2016 race, which included presidential candidates

Keating jumps into supervisors’ race
Janice Keating, who narrowly lost to Dick Monteith in the race for Stanislaus County Supervisor in 2006, has entered this year’s contest for the District 4 seat. That’s three Trump Republicans running against Frank Damrell. Many thought that when Tom Berryhill announced he was running, other Republicans would back off as a sign of respect for the Berryhill name and political power. As it is, it looks like the temptation of a crowded field was too much for Keating, a candidate for various offices who’s never won since her Modesto City Council term (2002-10).

Help for the mentally ill?
Some experts estimate the percentage of mentally ill homeless people at forty-percent. In addition to the mentally ill people on our streets, we have large numbers of mentally ill men and women in our jails and prisons. After decades of averting our eyes from the truth, some of us are now willing to admit that closing down institutions for seriously mentally ill people was a mistake. A long overdue movement to rectify that mistake is gaining momentum. Read about it here.

Is Devin Nunes an amphibian?
Devin (“I can do whatever I want”) Nunes  may not be an amphibian, but he’s for sure built a career as a toady. Realizing early on that he had a limited future as a person of virtue and achievement, he did what many do in his situation: He decided to suck up to money and power. So began his political career as procurer for the water barons of the southern San Joaquin Valley, where there are big enough bucks to defy nature, common sense, and environmental stewardship by sending water south to farmers who’ve already depleted the water table and drained their own rivers. These days, Congressman Nunes has moved up and into the White House, where he now serves the president by promoting conspiracy theories and throwing roadblocks in front of our intelligence and law enforcement agencies. Read the whole story here.

Cox endorsement from Pomboza killer McNerney?
You heard it here first: A very reliable source says Congressman Jerry McNerney will officially endorse TJ Cox for congress on Monday, January 22. The endorsement would provide yet another boost to Cox’s campaign, which has been energized by three debate wins in a row and endorsements from several popular activist groups in CA-10. McNerney scored an upset win over Richard Pombo in 2006, and in so doing slayed the beast known as the “Pomboza,” spawn of an unholy union between Democrat Dennis Cardoza and the far-right Pombo. Certainly a partnership between McNerney and Cox would be of great benefit to Valley citizens. We’ll know soon if the rumor pans out.

TJ Cox campaign rolls on
TJ Cox has followed his post-debate poll win with an endorsement from the Patterson Progressive Alliance. Cox had an almost 2-1 advantage over Josh Harder in polling taken after debate number three in Modesto on January 5.  Third and fourth place finishers were Virginia Madueno and Sue Zwahlen, in that order. Richard Anderson’s video of the debate can be seen here.

TJ Cox exposes tax scam
If anyone understands taxes, corporations, and jobs, TJ Cox does. Cox is running against Jeff Denham to represent people in Congressional District 10 (CA-10). He’s spent his life looking for and finding solutions to many of the Valley’s intractable problems, including health care and jobs. Cox has helped create over 1500 jobs in the Valley, and he’s also working on ways to make housing more affordable. He’s got an excellent analysis of the Republican tax scam in an OP/ED in the Modesto Bee. Read it here.

Stop Westlands’ war on Valley environment now
Westlands Water District’s war on the environment began the day the largest water district in the United States was formed. The really fascinating aspect of the history of Westlands is that it has always had very few water rights. But the lack of water rights hasn’t stopped Westlands from grabbing water from those who do have water rights through political chicanery at the highest levels. Though it’s been convicted of securities fraud and managed to dodge debts owed to taxpayers for decades, The San Luis Drainage Resolution Act (HR 1769) would be the biggest opportunity yet for Westlands to steal water, pollute the environment, and avoid paying what it owes to American taxpayers. Read to the whole story here, and be sure to contact your Senators.

Twelve kids facing eviction
After eleven years in the same house, the Munn family of Modesto is facing eviction. Trouble began when the owner died. His survivors first offered the family first right of refusal and an opportunity to buy the house. In the midst of negotiations, the family was suddenly ordered to leave the premises. Mr. and Mrs. Munn and their twelve children will move to temporary quarters in a motel on Monday, November 6 and will be in court the next day, trying to revive negotiations to buy the house. They are hoping to stay in Modesto, where Mr. Munn works, and are looking for a landlord who will accept their large family with a rental around $1300/mo. Watch an interview here.

Races Stanislaus County School Districts
We are not endorsing in every race, but The Valley Citizen recommends the following: AREA 5: Juan P Vazquez HART RANSOM: Matt Dobbs and Sandy Riggins DENAIR: Crystal Souza Sylvan Union: Christine Harvey MODESTO CITY SCHOOLS AREA 7: Adolfo Lopez and Matthew Harrington

Rivers belong to all of us, says Peter Drekmeier
“Not all farming is created equal,” says Peter Drekmeier in the Sacramento Bee, and he’s right. Farmers, doubtless intoxicated by the money and power they’ve generated during the almond boom, have decided they want ALL the water from our rivers. Peter Drekmeier, of the Tuolumne River Trust, points how some cold hard facts that may make water-grabbing farmers uncomfortable, but should help give us all a better perspective about the value of our rivers to everyone, not just farmers. These same rivers provide drinking water, economic benefits other than farming, and are key to the survival of the San Francisco Bay and the San Joaquin Delta. Read Peter Drekmeier’s comments here.

Debate bounce for Cox
TJ Cox’s “jobs and the economy” message must have resonated with many of the audience members at last Wednesday’s candidate forum in Turlock on September 20. According to a survey conducted by Our Revolution Turlock, Cox received the biggest post-debate bounce of all the candidates. Cox’s impressive record of creating good jobs in a region beset by unemployment and poverty obviously went over well, as did his promise to seek state and federal money for a congressional district he feels is poorly represented by Jeff Denham. See the results of the poll here.

New look for Valley Citizen
Because WordPress sometimes moves on, so must the Valley Citizen. Our old format has developed some glitches that can’t be corrected, so we’ll be moving soon to a new format. We’ll try to make things even more user-friendly, and try to keep most of the same features. Meanwhile, bear with us when you notice some odd visuals and text where it shouldn’t be. The old format is no longer supported, and it’s starting to deteriorate. Hope to have our new look soon.

Stockton suit against Delta tunnels
The City of Stockton has joined a host of other entities in a suit against the proposed Twin Tunnels project on the San Joaquin Delta. Touted by Governor Jerry Brown as a water conservation measure, the multi-billion dollar project has long been opposed by environmentalists. Now, cities and counties have joined in opposition, including Sacramento County, the City of Antioch, and multiple irrigation districts. Read more here.

Denham votes against rivers
Jeff Denham’s record on the environment is at least consistent: he’s against it. Last year, he tried to remove “Wild and Scenic” protective status from the Merced River. Early in July, he voted in favor of HR 23, a water grab by farmers south of Denham’s own district. Advocates for fish, wildlife, and the Delta and San Francisco Bay ecosystems, have called HR 23 “one of the most aggressive attempts ever taken by the political allies of farming interests to divert maximum flows of water south from the Delta.” Fortunately, California Senators Kamala Harris and Diane Feinstein oppose the bill, which would set river and wetlands restoration efforts back forty years, making the San Joaquin River run dry once again. Read more here.

Nunes: “I can do whatever I want…”
Like Donald Trump, many of today’s Republicans see political dominance as a license to indulge whatever desires might seize them at the moment, including serial lying. But in a rare example of a Republican chastising a fellow Republican, Senator Richard Burr, Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, has accused Valley Congressman Devin Nunes (CA 22^nd District) of creating a false narrative about former national security advisor Susan Rice. Nunes responded by saying, “I can do whatever I want, I’m chairman of [the House Intelligence] committee.” Full story here.

Speaking of Devin Nunes…
Most likely because of its combination of insider knowledge and (sometimes brutal) candor, On the Public Record is still our favorite water blog. Recent commentary on the harm done by Congressman Devin Nunes is a must-read. Nunes was among the very first Valley politicians to establish himself as a card-carrying Trump toady, but well before Trump, Nunes joined Jeff Denham and other Valley members of congress in the chorus line of climate change denial. On the Public Record has an excellent summary of Nunes’ folly and the harm it does here.

Denham’s “bipartisan” claim goes viral
Congressman Jeff Denham’s claim that the repeal of Obamacare was a “bipartisan” effort has made headlines nationwide. Denham made the claim during a town hall meeting in Riverbank. While in his district, the congressman has been stalked by a growing group of protestors who are determined to expose his pattern of saying one thing to constituents while doing another thing in Washington D.C. His mendacity even made Politico Magazine. See the Denham story here.

Time to balance the water books?
Modesto’s Vance Kennedy, a retired hydrologist, has long argued we need to begin our management of local groundwater by doing a “mass balance.” A mass balance measurement is simply an informed estimate of how much total groundwater is available at a given time. It also includes calculations of how much is used and how much is recharged. This simple accounting measure, obvious as it is, meets with resistance up and down the Valley, probably because those pumping groundwater want to keep pumping until it’s gone. Now, UC Davis and the Public Policy Institute of California have begun collecting and compiling mass balance data for the San Joaquin Valley. It’s an impressive and much-needed effort. As one would expect, we’re usually in a state of dire overdraft. Details here.

The real skinny on dams and water
Every time there’s an above-average water year, cries resound for more dams. Among the loudest voices is that of Devin Nunes, a Valley congressman. But are more dams really the answer to our need for storage? Most people who’ve studied them closely realize dams for the most part represent antiquated technology and there are better storage alternatives in the form of wetlands and groundwater recharge. One of the best discussions of dams and their shortcomings is here.

More Enron accounting in water
Hard on the heels of the Westlands Water District financial scandal comes another. California state controller Betty Yee has announced multiple improprieties after a review of the nearby Panoche Water District’s administration. Perks for employees included free housing, tickets to A’s and Raiders’ games, and items from the Ralph Lauren fashion line. The really mind-boggling number is $3 billion dollars in public money was likely involved since January, 2015. Full story here.

Denham Trumps Health Care
Jeff, “Mr. Reach Across the Aisle,” Denham has once again shown his much-promoted willingness to work with Democrats is false advertising. Denham just joined his Republican buddies in their campaign to end the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Keep in mind that in all their ranting against ACA, the Repubs have never offered a viable alternative. Their opposition is about reducing taxes on the super-wealthy and nothing more. Denham is happy to play along. Valley citizens need someone who represents their interests, not another one percenter. Full story here.

Gotta read this farmer on rivers and groundwater
We took a lot of flak when we argued increased river flows would help recharge groundwater. Now we’ve got a lifelong Valley resident and farmer arguing the same thing. Protests against increased flows ignore fundamentals of hydrology, biology, and sustainability. Maybe it will take a plain-speaking farmer like Walt Shubin to inject a healthy dose of truth into what has become a poisoned argument. Read Shubin’s comments here.

Valley Citizen Hacked
Sometime in the last few weeks, The Valley Citizen was hacked and the subscription feature disabled. It appears the comments function was also compromised, but only insofar as it allowed more spam messages. After several days, we were able to install a security system that should prevent more problems, at least over the short term. As we all know, hackers are persistently creative. If you stopped receiving alerts for new posts, it was the result of the hack. Once again, you can now use the subscribe feature and get updates when we post a new article. The subscription is free.

Clinton wins Stanislaus County
In yet another bizarre result of the strangest election ever, Hillary Clinton won the Stanislaus County vote count by a narrow margin of one-hundred eighty-nine votes. With all precincts counted, Clinton had 21,327 votes to Donald Trump’s 21,138. Last election, Barack Obama won Stanislaus County. Interesting, given county leadership is overwhelming Republican. Maybe someday we’ll make a real effort to get out the vote and learn the county is far more progressive than anyone thinks. Maybe.

Science and a restored delta
Nature is remarkably resilient. The more scientists learn about the importance of interrelationships in ecosystems, the better we understand how to restore and maintain sustainable living on an increasingly crowded planet. Now there is a science-based plan for restoring the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, one of the most important and necessary ecosystems on earth. Read more here.

Flows are not just about salmon
Too many Valley citizens have bought into the people versus salmon story, where every drop of river water gets dedicated to saving a few fish. The real story is more complicated, but absolutely necessary to understand if we’re to get the most public benefit out of our water. Think it’s only about fish? Think again; we have an entire bay and coastal ecosystem at stake. Read more here.

San Joaquin will flow
For the first time in more than sixty years, the San Joaquin River is expected to flow year-round in 2017. The restored flows are the result of a decades-long lawsuit by the Natural Resources Defense Council and part of an effort to restore salmon runs along the river. The San Joaquin spans three-hundred sixty miles and is California’s second longest river. At one time, half a million salmon used the San Joaquin, which was once deep enough to support cargo-filled paddleboats. Read more here.

Is Fresno the new Flint?
In certain sections of town, Fresno homeowners complained for years about the dirty water coming from their taps. Like many Valley residents, they worried about the sporadic discharges of brown and smelly water that came from their faucets and shower heads and were frustrated when public officials were slow to respond. Now that the Public Utilities Department has begun testing the discolored water, technicians are discovering high levels of lead in some of the water. Read the developing story here.

Judge denies director’s appeal for fees
In a judgment issued September 19, Judge Roger Beauchesne has denied Oakdale Irrigation District (OID) Board Member Gary Osmundsen’s appeal for reimbursement of fees incurred when he was charged with a conflict of interest involving OID’s fallowing program. Osmundsen was seeking $14,892.50. Judge Beauchesne ruled that Osmundsen’s claim to be the prevailing party in the case was unsupportable, because “The litigation did not advance sufficiently in order to meaningfully designate a prevailing party.” The judge added that, “The alleged conflict of interest issue is currently being reviewed by the Fair Political Practices Commission.”

More OID Conflicts?
The closer you look at the Oakdale Irrigation District’s (OID) reliance on outside water sales, the more you find a tangled web of hidden agendas, outright secrecy, and conflicts of interest. Now it appears OID Director Gary Osmundsen may be involved in another conflict involving the district’s fallowing program. OID is also offering sweetheart loans to a select group of farmers. Seems OID hasn’t learned from its sweetheart deal with Trinitas Partners. See the latest at Protect Oakdale’s Water. 

Denham flips Bee the bird
It didn’t take Jeff Denham long to tell the Modesto Bee where to get off. As we predicted, the Bee’s threat to withhold its endorsement for long-time favorite Denham unless he publicly dumps Donald Trump was met with what amounts to the middle-finger salute. Denham even went as far as to applaud Trump’s stand on California’s water problems. Trump, most everyone will remember, made headlines by denying California was in a drought. But then, that’s right on a par with Denham’s and Republicans’ anti-fact and anti-science program anyway. Read Denham’s swift rejoinder here. Oh, and don’t be surprised if the Bee backs down.

Big win for fisherman
On July 25, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decided in favor of Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations and the San Francisco Crab Boat Owners Association in litigation about the Bureau of Reclamation’s decision to deliver millions of acre feet of water annually to San Joaquin Valley farmers. The court decided the Bureau of Reclamation had violated the National Environmental Policy Act. The decision will have far-reaching implications for agri-business in the southern San Joaquin Valley. Read more here.

More on Laura’s Law
Why don’t more counties have Laura’s Law? It’s a good question and the most common answer is lack of funding. However, it appears there’s funding available when counties know how to take advantage of it. And of course, seems like there’s always money for jail time. One thing is clear: More and more people want their county supervisors to enact Laura’s Law. Here’s a story about Sacramento County’s failure to act, and the fallout.

Homer hits a homer
Panhandling, controversial as it is, has consistently been ruled a legal expression of speech by U.S. courts. Recently, anti-panhandling signs popped up in downtown Modesto. While it’s easy to understand why merchants wish to discourage panhandlers, justifying the signs in legal terms requires legal, moral, and ethical contortions worthy of a circus performer. Modesto’s Joseph Homer managed to point out some of the problems such contortions in a recent letter to the editor in the Modesto Bee. Find Joe’s fine letter here.

Must read on homelessness and health
The wait in emergency rooms is almost always extended by the number of homeless people needing treatment. It probably doesn’t take much thought to realized that homelessness itself contributes to poor health, but it also makes it harder to get and take medication, maintain personal hygiene, and eat properly. It’s often hard for homeless people to even find water. Daniel Weintraub just offered an excellent analysis of the need to house homeless people so that we can save time and money treating their health problems. Read Daniel Weintraub on health and homelessness here.

Westlands: Enron of water?
Westlands Water District, one of Oakdale Irrigation District’s favorite water buyers, has been fined by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for “misrepresentations and omissions” in a 2012 bond sale. Turns out the country’s largest water district has decided it can’t afford to pay for its share of the Delta tunnels project. The SEC decision says Westlands misled buyers with inaccurate representations of debt ratios. Read more here.

Great letter Kim
Once in a while a letter to the editor captures the essence of a problem and the beginnings of a solution all at once. That’s clear in Kim Galbraith’s letter to the Bee, published February 14 and available here.  Complaints about needles, defecation, and trash in our parks aren’t really addressed by rousting the perpetrators. Kim suggests a simple approach to the problem as a start to fixing it.

Mercury in the water?
A statewide survey of mercury levels in fish-eating birds has revealed potential dangers to the birds’ reproductive success. The news is especially alarming because past studies have shown mercury levels in fish in many of our lakes and reservoirs are high enough to endanger human health. The study was funded by the State Water Resources Control Board, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the U.S. Geological Survey. Read more here.

A word to the wise from Dr. Kennedy
We were pleased to see the Bee print Dr. Vance Kennedy’s concerns about flood possibilities this year as a record El Nino builds off the Pacific Coast. Dr. Kennedy has been concerned for a couple of years that planting tens of thousands of acres of orchards on hilly ground in eastern Stanislaus County could lead to sedimentation in our rivers and streams which has the potential to produce record floods. The message: If you are in a low-lying area, buy flood insurance. Read the entire story here.

Stapley opens door on water sale
It didn’t take Modesto Bee reporter Garth Stapley long to ferret out a few more details on the Oakdale Irrigation District’s (OID) secret water sale. Stapley also got some reactions and comments from local farmers and political leaders, none of whom were pleased about the water district’s back room deal. Read Garth Stapley’s report here.

Update on OID water sale
The Manteca Bulletin has the most complete story yet available on the Oakdale Irrigation District and South San Joaquin water sale. The sale is being touted as a boon to fish and farmers in the southern San Joaquin Valley. One issue that is sure to arise is the secrecy of the sale and whether it violated the Brown Act. The article says more water was available than the districts had estimated, but local farmers have insisted they knew OID had the water all the time. More here.

Don’t miss The Messenger
On November 21 the State Theatre in Modesto and Stanislaus Audubon will show The Messenger. This award-winning documentary film is a visually thrilling ode to the beauty and importance of imperiled songbirds, and what it will mean to all of us on a human and global level if it they are lost. The film focuses both on the peril to birds as well as solutions. It does so with breathtakingly beautiful photography, mostly of birds in flight. The first showing at 4:30 on November 21 will be a fund raiser for Stanislaus Audubon and will include a presentation of how the film translates to some Modesto-area birds. The film, but not the presentation, will also be shown November 22 through 25.

McNerney blasts tunnels plan
Congressman Jerry McNerney has joined scientists, environmentalists, fisherman, and farmers in opposing Governor Brown’s Twin Tunnels Plan. In a systematic undressing of the flimsy arguments that have attempted to clothe the tunnels plan in facsimiles of reason, McNerney points out the tunnels do nothing to increase water supplies and everything to ruin one of world’s most productive ecosystems. More here.

More on Westlands agreement
As expected, the Obama administration approved an agreement with Westlands Water District that forgives a $350 million debt to the people, enables transfers of water to toxic soils, and continues subsidies for corporate agriculture. Congressman Jerry McNerney and others have vowed to fight the agreement. More here.

Worst water giveaway yet?
Westlands Water District has long held special status in the complex water rights hierarchy. No matter how junior its water rights, it somehow manages to acquire massive amounts of water even during droughts. Now the federal government has made yet another deal that amounts to a giveaway of a priceless public resource to private enterprise for even more environmental degradation. Read C-WIN’s summary here.

Gotta read this from OtPR
After reading Vance Kennedy’s method for doing a “water-in minus water-out” accounting (see below), you MUST read the graphic description of how an industrial-sized well is causing subsidence near the California Aqueduct in Fresno County. The story is at On the Public Record, the go-to site for California water insiders. The amount of detail is incredible. Read the story here.

Dr. Kennedy’s water wisdom
One of the most time-honored ways to stall is to claim there’s a need for “more data.” That’s been going on with the groundwater crisis for years now. Those who want to avoid a simple “water-in minus water-out” accounting of groundwater depletion always argue they need more data before taking action. Award-winning hydrologist Dr. Vance Kennedy says it’s easy to know when pumping groundwater is unsustainable and we should get the facts out now. Learn the science behind accounting for groundwater loss here.

The newest super crop?
Almonds are by far the super crop of the 21^st century. Global demand has pushed prices into the stratosphere, and though much has been written about water demands for nut orchards, almonds actually consume less water than crops like alfalfa and rice. Lately though, many farmers have been taking a closer look at olives as a possible crop of the future. The craze for artisan olive oils looks like it has legs, and now that savvy buyers have realized the value of California-grown olives, the market is growing rapidly. But the really sweet thing about olives is how little water it takes to grow a good crop—much less than almonds. Read more here.

More from the Maven
One person has done more to inform people about water in California than any other and that one person is Chris Austin, better known as “Maven.” Maven’s website, Maven’s Notebook, is the finest water news aggregation anywhere. She also does some on-site water news transcription of events only she covers, has compiled a vast store of water-related photographs, and has become the most trusted water guru in the west. She was just interviewed by Water Deeply. The must read interview is here.

Scary groundwater facts
By now most everyone knows about subsidence in the San Joaquin Valley—sinking land surfaces due to overdrafting groundwater. That’s scary enough, but there are lots of other frightening facts associated with today’s groundwater pumping frenzy. Those who defend pumping claim that groundwater levels move up and down over time. That’s true only when recharge replenishes discharge. Over the last few decades, the trend is down—way down. Read more here.

It’s not London Bridge that’s falling down…
It’s your bridges, and yes, it’s, “bridges,” plural. Accelerated pumping of groundwater is accelerating subsidence, the sinking of land mass that accompanies overdrafting. In some places the soil surface is dropping two feet a year and as it drops so do bridges and canals. One of the worst places nearby is on Russell Avenue, near Firebaugh. The bridge is falling down and so are portions of the Delta-Mendota Canal. Costs will be in the millions, borne mostly by taxpayers. More here.

Need water? Check the Classifieds
Oakdale Irrigation District (OID) farmer Grover Francis is among those who believe at least some of his fellow farmers will run out of water this year. Over a hundred farmers formed a protest group when OID put a ceiling on their water allocations while giving Tier II member Trinitas Partners ten inches of water. Trinitas was supposed to get water only if there were “no impacts” on senior members of the district. Francis figures some farmers will need the 260 acre feet he’s not using this year and he’s advertising in the Classified section of the paper. Full story here.

A lesson in paper water
“Paper water” is water that exists on paper only. Usually it’s a figment of a developer’s sales pitch, but it’s also figured in plenty of agricultural fantasies, especially those that involve permanent crops like almonds. Ever since the state required developers to establish sustainable water sources for large projects, paper water has become more important and deceptive than ever. At Drought Math, David Coffin offers a great lesson in how paper water drives development in Los Angeles. Read it here.

Modesto’s unknown water sales
The City of Modesto is one of the few in the San Joaquin Valley to have abundant surface water, the result of building a water treatment plant years ago. But even Modesto citizens have been ordered to cutback water use, and most would be surprised to learn Modesto water is sold outside the region. Hydration Sources LLC bottles and sells Modesto water. Most of the water is sold within the state, but 20 percent goes outside California. For some Modesto residents who’ve let their lawns die, knowing their water is sold outside the region is causing a slow burn. Read the whole story here.

Depleted aquifers threaten national security
Overdrafting is depleting the nation’s aquifers so fast that it’s threatening national security. Three of the major aquifers in the U.S. are in especially precarious condition, including our own Central Valley aquifer. The state added groundwater regulation for the first time last year, but many observers think the new rules offer too little too late to save the Central Valley aquifer. Read about the dire situation of our aquifers here.

Great overview of Delta water issues
The San Joaquin Delta is the focal point for much of the controversy about water in California. Rarely does anyone offer an opportunity to contextualize the partisan debates about who gets Delta water and why, but Erica Goode has provided one of the best recent summaries in an essay that appeared in The New York Times June 24. For anyone wanting a foundational understanding of the Delta’s water history and problems, Goode’s investigation is a good place to begin. Read her story here.

Westlands in secret water deal?
Friends of the River (FoR) has notified the Department of Justice and other federal agencies that it believes Westlands Water District has entered into a secret agreement in violation of the National Environmental Policy Act. According to FoR, a new, “water supply to Westlands would be permanent and also arbitrarily receive a much higher water delivery priority.” Is it just a coincidence that Westlands hired Devin Nunes’ longtime Chief of Staff May 1? Do we have yet another case of political chicanery out of Westlands? Wouldn’t surprise anyone who’s familiar with San Joaquin Valley water politics. The letter from FoR is scathing and credible. The entire letter is here.

Is The Maven a genius?
We don’t know whether The Maven’s a genius or not, but given her brilliant contributions to the California water knowledge base, she deserves accolades of the kind reserved for geniuses. It’s not surprising to find she’s multi-talented, but the range of her abilities and experience may surprise even those who’ve followed her for years. An interview with the creator of Maven’s Notebook is here. Must reading for water wonks and anyone interested in citizen journalism.

Sabatino to run
The irrepressible Carmen Sabatino will enter the next race for Mayor of Modesto. The perennial candidate surprised everyone when he became Mayor of Modesto in 2000. He proved more than capable and balanced the city budget every year he was in office. His candor and crusade against an entrenched establishment brought on a backlash in the form of trumped-up criminal charges that ruined his chances for reelection. Sabatino will oppose incumbent Mayor Garrad Marsh and City Councilman Dave Lopez.

The status quo is unsustainable
As the drought intensifies, plain speaking about water tends to disappear among flurries of hyperbole, misinformation, and finger-pointing. Sarge Green, Ellen Hanak, and David Zoldoske offer a clear path to better understanding why agriculture needs groundwater regulation. Short and to the point; read it here.

Almond sanity
Mark Bittman understands food better than most anyone and has a rare talent for communicating his knowledge. Whether he’s writing a cookbook or summarizing the many evils of “animal concentration camps,” Bittman always delivers a sane and progressive view of food and eating. His latest column in The New York Times offers a keen analysis of the place of almonds in our complex food chain, including wise commentary on water use in California. Read it here.

A little crude but informative
A new water blog features several articles from The Valley Citizen and some useful primary documents about such things as the Oakdale Irrigation District’s (OID) annexation of Trinitas Partners. There’s also some news about upcoming elections for some of OID’s board members. Given recent controversy about Trinitas, water sales, and water allocations, this looks like a promising resource for those who follow local water issues. The formatting is a little crude, but posting primary documents is a great idea. Of course, we like to see our articles linked as well. See the new Oakdale water news site here.

Our new subscription feature
Some of our readers have had trouble using the RSS Feed function (orange button in header) to subscribe, so we’ve added another subscription feature. It’s in the same column as “Around the Region.” Just scroll down until you see “Subscribe to the Valley Citizen.” Enter your email and you will be notified whenever we post a new story. Be sure to check your spam at first; you may have to add the subscription function to your contacts list. After that, you should receive notice of new postings in your inbox.

Learn more about loss of rangelands
Dr. Jaymee Marty is supremely well qualified to talk about loss of rangelands and the effects on biodiversity, vernal pools, and grasslands. She will be speaking at a free presentation Friday, May 15, at 7:00pm, at the College Avenue Congregational Church, 1341 College Avenue in Modesto. These sessions are always well attended by Audubon and Sierra Club members and are open to the public. Socializing begins at 6:45pm.

On the Public Record strikes again
One of our favorite sites is On the Public Record. It’s a gathering place for water insiders for a good reason: the writing is trenchant, informative, current, and lively. This is one of those sites where the comments add facets and dimensions to the issues even while they carry them forward. Check out this latest post, including some extended commentary on Trinitas, Stanislaus County’s new ag giant. Read “Turning the tables on almonds” here.

Oakland Tribune Harpoons Governor 
Governor Jerry Brown continues to take heavy broadsides for his Twin Tunnels plan. One of the latest comes from an Oakland Tribune editorial that claims the Twin Tunnels’ real purpose is to service the water demands of Big Ag in the southern parts of the San Joaquin Valley. Brown persists in pushing the plan, despite thumbs down from the EPA, fisheries, Delta farmers, and a host of other interests. The Tribune argues the Tunnels are tied to the interest of mega-farmer Stewart Resnick and others like him. Read the full broadside here.

Sinking even faster?
If you’ve got that “sinking feeling” you have a good reason if you live in the San Joaquin Valley. The area from Los Banos to Kettleman City―some fifteen hundred square miles― features the largest known expanse of land subsidence in the world. Portions have sunk almost thirty feet. The culprit? Overdrafting of groundwater. Recently, parts of Merced County were sinking almost a foot a year as farmers pumped groundwater in unprecedented quantities to compensate for the drought. Now comes news we are sinking even faster than ever. Read about it here.

Super sane ag and water report
The American Farmland Trust (AFT) usually has a balanced and informative viewpoint on the importance of distinguishing prime farmland from less productive and sustainable farmland. As surface water sources get cut back, more and more farmland has been fallowed and more and more groundwater depleted. Greg Plotkin’s short essay for the AFT offers a thoughtful perspective on current farmland and water issues. Read it here.

Bruce Frohman on egg prices
We common folk who shop for our own groceries were dismayed early in the year by the spike in egg prices. In January, the price for a dozen of the lowest grade eggs at the local bargain supermarket was about $2.85. Prices peaked around $3.50 per dozen, about the regular price for the most expensive “cage free” eggs.

Egg producers decided to pass on the added cost of production from a new California law that required more space for hens in cages beginning January 1, 2015. Consumers revolted.  According to a local grocery clerk, customers stopped buying eggs. Egg producers quickly discovered that the demand for eggs is elastic. If prices rise too quickly, demand falls substantially.

Prices at one local market have since dropped to $1.98 for the lowest priced dozen eggs. The clerk says eggs are, “flying off the shelves.” Whether last year’s sales of as low as 88 cents per dozen occur this year remains to be seen. Below a dollar a dozen, higher operating costs may force some producers out of business.

Think we’ve got it bad?
Is Tulare County the model for our future? We better hope not. The long-time center for agriculture in the San Joaquin Valley, Tulare County has 1013 dry wells. Farmers are spending as much as $750,000 to drill 1800 feet in a search for water that may not be there. A growing number of county residents are using bottled water and makeshift showers. As the drought persists, we better hope we don’t face the same conditions soon. Read more about water in Tulare County here.

Save the date
The Stanislaus Audubon Society (SAS) will show a one-hour movie depicting local birds and wildlife at Modesto’s State Theatre on Sunday April 12 at 3:00 p.m. Filmed entirely in Stanislaus and Merced counties, David Froba’s, “Wings Over Our Two Counties,” follows the seasons and leads you on a treasure hunt through nature in Del Puerto Canyon, Modesto’s Thousand Oaks Park, the National Wildlife Refuges near Vernalis and Merced, and the foothills of the Sierra Nevada.

There are stunning close-ups and engaging action. Bald Eagles at Woodward Reservoir dive bomb ducks. An Anna’s Hummingbird aggressively feeds its young in a tiny nest in a Modesto backyard. Hundreds of White Pelicans with nine-foot wingspans soar over the San Joaquin River National Wildlife Refuge on Beckwith Road. Several species do mating dances and a number lustily sing for the camera, while grey foxes and coyotes lurk in the understory. Enjoy our natural heritage and in the process learn the basic skills of birding. You will never walk your neighborhood or drive your roads the same way again.

This film will be a double feature with another one-hour documentary, “Birders: The Central Park Effect.”

All about the Delta
Chris Austin, better known as “Maven,” may be the most knowledgeable water authority in the state. Her “Maven’s Notebook” aggregates California water news and is read by virtually everyone with an interest in western water issues. Maven has just posted a superb photo essay about the San Joaquin Delta. This is a concise but comprehensive review of one of the most important ecosystems in the west. See Maven’s great work here.

Must read on water and the Delta
No matter how perilous our water situation gets, most people don’t react until the well runs dry. Pat Mulroy has the credentials, the experience, and the authority to communicate just exactly how dire our water crisis really is and how important the Delta is to our water future. Her keynote address at the March 19 Water Policy Conference is a MUST READ. The ever-reliable Maven has the entire text and commentary here.

Like local sports?
In many of our Valley towns, high school football is by far the most popular entertainment available. Not only do the town’s residents attend their home teams’ games, they spend the off-season rating players and the teams’ chances for league success. Some local teams consistently achieve state-wide prominence, much to the pride of their loyal fans. Now, Rich Estrada, former high school sports maven at the Modesto Bee, has created Black Hat Football, the ultimate fix for rabid fans of local pigskin and turf madness. Estrada is THE go-to guy for local football insiders. Join his legions of followers here if you want the most up-to-date info on local high school football.

Key to pumping groundwater?
One of the most successful groundwater management plans in the state is in Orange County, in one of the most arid regions of California. The secret? In Orange County, the more you pump, the more you pay. It’s really that simple. While paying to pump a finite resource might seem to be a no-brainer, here in Stanislaus County the only cost for groundwater is that associated with installation, operation, and maintenance of the pumps. Sounds crazy and is. For more on Orange County’s model plan, look here.

Essential almond news
Even in the midst of what may become the worst drought in a century, almond orchards are sprouting like weeds. At first glance, the ongoing installation of even more water-gulping orchards is madness. But big Ag is counting on political machinations, the last reserves of groundwater, and public apathy to keep pulling off the conversion of public resources to private gain. Carole Krieger has the details here.

More demand on groundwater coming?
In December, the Bureau of Reclamation warned Stockton East Water District that it might not receive its full allotment of water this year. As January ends without rain, prospects for Stockton East look even worse. New Melones Reservoir is at 39% capacity, with this year’s rainy season beginning to look much like last year’s. The impending deficit may mean pumping groundwater will be the only resort again this year. Read more here.

Bee to lose veteran journalists
The Modesto Bee will lose veteran reporter Joanne Sbranti and long-time staff photographer Debbie Noda within the next month. The two veteran journalists have accepted buyouts and will leave just as the Bee seemed to be restoring journalistic excellence under a new general manager and publisher. Sbranti’s recent groundwater stories have represented the best journalism seen in the Bee for years, and Noda is the last in a long tradition of superb photographers that included stars like Al Golub and Adrian Mendoza. Valley citizens owe a great debt of gratitude to these veterans of journalism’s Golden Age.

“How better?” says Jay Lund
Jay Lund, one of the most thoughtful voices on water in California, is arguing for a new environmentalism. He’s probably right when he says the public is tired of the old environmental frame of “good guys” vs “bad guys.” Lund says the future will see a new environment altogether, one that integrates natural and urban environments into new patterns of sustainability. The rule should be “how better,” says Lund. Read his comments here.

Ten percent? Are you kidding?
The water year for 2014 ended as the third driest ever. It followed two years of near-record drought and put huge demands on groundwater reserves. The Department of Water Resources just announced that customers of the State Water Project have been allotted ten percent of their contracted water for 2015. That figure could rise with a wet year, but even extraordinary rainfall won’t be enough to relieve stress on groundwater reserves. Maven has the whole story here.

“The worst place for water right now is California,”
says Jay Famiglietti. Famiglietti’s is one of the most urgent and intelligent voices on California’s mounting water problems. The UC Irvine Professor is a realist about the state’s dwindling water supply, and doesn’t think desalination or improved wastewater treatment plants will provide quick fixes. Nonetheless, he remains optimistic our water problems can be solved and is brimming with positive ideas. An excellent introduction to the man described as a “water warrior” is here.