News and Press Releases

Dec. 31:

S.F. gets its turn to critique water plan (Modesto Bee)

Dec. 27:

What state water board is doing is wrong (California Water Alliance essay)

Dec. 24:

Talking the water could cost the state (Modesto Bee)

Dec. 23:

I’ll have my salmon, please — extra dry (Manteca Bulletin)

Dec. 22:

Sacrificing Northern San Joaquin Valley for L.A. basin (Manteca Bulletin)

Dec. 21:

Modesto-area farmers, residents make impassioned plea to water board (Modesto Bee)

Our View: Stanislaus makes its case on rivers (Modesto Bee editorial)

The people of San Joaquin County have spoken; let’s hope regulators will listen (Lodi News Sentinel)

More than 1,000 show up for hearing on Bay-Delta plan (Capitol Public Radio)

More people turn out to criticize ‘water grab’ (Sonora Union Democrat)

How to kill fish and hurt people (Stockton Record)

Dec. 20:

Hundreds pour into Modesto center for hearing on river flows (KCRA, Channel 3)

Modesto residents concerned about increased river flows (KCRA, Channel 3)

Merced crowd decries river plan (Modesto Bee)

Dec. 18:

Our View: If state carries out its plan, our region will suffer (Modesto Bee editorial)

Adam Gray: Water board plan operates in silo; we have better ideas (Modesto Bee)

Larry Byrd: A fight for now, a fight for our future (Modesto Bee)

Dec. 17:

OID, SSJID warn of harm from river plan (Modesto Bee)

The people of San Joaquin County have spoken: let’s hope state regulators will listen (Manteca Bulletin editorial)

Fight over Stanislaus River water: Fish vs. cities and agriculture (Manteca Bulletin)

Leaders, farmers, residents plea against Delta water plan (Stockton Record)

Dec. 15:

What if OID, SSJID had built New Melones (Manteca Bulletin)

Dec. 14:

Stanislaus River fish on upswing on hearing’s eve (Manteca Bulletin)

Dec. 13:

Destroying the 209 to save salmon (Manteca Bulletin)

Congress passes water law with Mother Lode impacts (Sonora Union-Democrat)

Dec. 12:

SSJID: Look at the data. State hearing on Stanislaus River water fate this Friday (Manteca Bulletin)

Dec. 11:

California’s plan for river flows will be devastating to our region (Steve Knell/Peter Rietkerk op-ed essay in Modesto Bee)

Dec. 9:

House approves California water plan that splits state’s senators (Modesto Bee)

Proposed water package has Lode residents picking sides (Sonora Union-Democrat)

Dec. 7:

California’s water future will change as a result of this bill set for House approval (Modesto Bee)

Dec. 6:

600 fish will cost 209 $250 million (Manteca Bulletin)

Nov. 30:

First hearing for river flows plan; Stockton gets next session (Stockton Record)

Hilmar FFA members argue to state panel against raising river flows (Modesto Bee)

Who likes state’s plan to keep more water in California rivers? Practically nobody (Sacramento Bee)

Nov. 27:

Sides brace for hearing on river flow plan (Modesto Bee)

Nov. 20:

Economics of state’s water grab don’t add up (Modesto Bee)

Nov. 17:

State’s river flow proposal will get close look at Modesto meeting (Modesto Bee)

Nov. 16:

Supervisors assail state water flows plan (Stockton Record)

Nov. 15:

The Molotov cocktail the state is tossing (Manteca Bulletin)

Nov. 11:

Get ready for 64% water cutback (Manteca Bulletin)

Mad Hatter crafting state water policy? (Manteca Bulletin editorial)

Nov. 9:

Lake Tulloch Alliance opposes river flows plan (Calaveras Enterprise)

Nov. 8:

Public gets rare look at New Melones Dam (Calaveras Enterprise)

Oct. 28:

What will go extinct first: Salmon or Valley farmers? (Modesto Bee)

Oct. 23:

Hundreds rise in defense of the region’s right to water (Modesto Bee)

Oct. 21:

State water plan is ‘idiocy,’ OID official says (Modesto Bee)

Oct. 20:

SSJID: Plan is about taking water, period (Manteca Bulletin)

Oct. 19:

Stanislaus farmers blast river flow plan (Modesto Bee)

Oct. 17:

Destroying the 209 for 1,000 fish (Manteca Bulletin)

Oct. 16:

Be weir-y: Valley, ag getting water boarded by fish flow plans (Modesto Bee)

Oct. 15:

Owens Valley 2.0? (Manteca Bulletin)

Oct. 14:

South San Joaquin farmers say ‘no’ to flow plan (Stockton Record)

Oct. 13:

6th year of drought? (Manteca Bulletin)

Oct. 11:

Big decisions coming up to save water, reduce costs (Manteca Bulletin)

Oct. 2:

What will go extinct first: Salmon or Valley farmers? (Modesto Bee)

Sept. 30:

Learn from history … fight for your water (Lance Johnson column)

Sept. 28:

Meeting on river flows gets tense at times (Modesto Bee)

Valley leader’s take exception with state water board’d explanation (Modesto Bee editorial)

Sept. 22:

Gov. Brown is right, we must ‘agree’ on rivers (Modesto Bee editorial)

Sept. 21:

Will new plan fate New Melones to future dead pool levels? (MyMotherLode.com)

Valley lawmakers blast river flow proposal (Modesto Bee)

Sept. 20:

Farmers consider impacts of water plan (Ag Alert)

Sept. 16:

Hammer falling on everyone who relies on our rivers (Modesto Bee editorial)

Massive water grab: State would sacrifice jobs, fallow 240,000 acres for fish (Manteca Bulletin)

It’s the age of limits for California’s water wars (Sacramento Bee editorial)

Sept. 15:

Ag still faces hit in updated river flow proposal (Modesto Bee)

Big splash for S.J. River: Plan to increase flows is widely criticized (Stockton Record)

An era of limits: California proposes steering more water to fish, less to farms, cities (Sacramento Bee)

Plan to keep rivers flowing for fish triggers another water fight (L.A. Times)

California to save more water for endangered fish (Wall Street Journal)

Water districts: Why is water going to ocean? (KCRA, Channel 3)

New state Delta water proposal draws fire from Valley irrigation districts (S.J. Business Journal)

California would provide more water to fish under plan (Capitol Public Radio)

Sept. 14:

How much water will the state ask for today? (Modesto Bee editorial)

Sept. 11:

Day of reckoning for our rivers (Modesto Bee)

Sept. 6:

Trout population down 75% in Stanislaus River (KCRA, Channel 3)

Sept. 4:

California’s native salmon struggling in fifth year of drought (Associated Press)

Aug. 29:

The power of Tri-Dam (Manteca Bulletin)

Aug. 28:

State fights itself over fish, but we could be the real losers (Modesto Bee editorial)

Aug. 24:

Trout decline on Stanislaus River raises concern (Modesto Bee)

Environmentalists oppose increasing bass fishing limits (Manteca Bulletin)

Aug. 23:

Avoiding the fish fry: SSJID, OID use science to help fish as state, federal research is lacking (Manteca Bulletin)

Aug. 22:

Charging into re-charging water: SSJID may harvest runoff (Manteca Bulletin)

Delta fishermen gear up for another fight (Stockton Record)

Aug. 21:

After releasing water for steelhead, not enough left for trout (Modesto Bee)

Aug. 18:

Trout population plummets in the lower Stanislaus (Calaveras Enterprise)

Aug. 16:

Feds killing fish? Research shows water release strategy cut fish numbers 80% (Manteca Bulletin)

Aug. 16:

Trout population plummeting despite New Melones water releases (My Mother Lode)

Aug. 15:

Stanislaus River trout levels lowest since 2009 (Central Valley Business Journal)

Aug. 2:

Higher fish flows: SSJID eyes models that lean toward 2017 being a drought year (Manteca Bulletin)

July 29:

Almond avalanche: More nuts with less water (Manteca Bulletin)

July 13:

Stanislaus County will pay $90,000 for study on economic impacts of river plan (Modesto Bee)

California’s drought may be easing , but fight over water persists (Modesto Bee)

July 8:

Suit challenges Delta pumping restrictions (Sacramento Bee)

July 6:

House passes bill to save Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta salmon (Modesto Bee)

June 26:

Don’t try to fool us with bubbles and glimmer (Modesto Bee)

June 18:

Farm Beat: Salmon predation has new twists (Modesto Bee)

June 16:

The bass problem: non-native fish threaten endangered species (Manteca Bulletin)

June 10:

Water users target Delta fish — again (Stockton Record)

May 1:

Stanislaus River: Quenching thirst of south county farms & cities (Manteca Bulletin)

April 28:
South County savior (Manteca Bulletin)

April 27:
Increased pulse flows for fish begin on the Stanislaus River (Sonora Union-Democrat)

April 26:
Lawsuit
claims Delta fish harmed by relaxed flows (Modesto Bee)

April 22:
Lawsuit
accuses regulators of loosening Delta water rules (Sacramento Bee)

April 21:
A predator fish in California has lost its White House support (Modesto Bee)

April 14:
Deal avoids water war (Manteca Bulletin)

April 14:
Local sentiments low over proposed New Melones levels (My Mother Lode)

April 13:
Proposed management plan unveiled for New Melones (Oakdale Leader)

April 13:
State hasn’t considered impacts of its water plan on poor kids (Stanislaus and Merced schools superintendents)

April 13:
North Valley rivers make endangered list (Modesto Bee)

April 13:
House to reopen the bidding on California water bill (Modesto Bee)

April 10:
Debate swirls over striped bass role in rivers’ salmon population (Modesto Bee)

April 8:
Making a case for keeping more Melones water (My Mother Lode)

April 8:
New Melones operators ask to reduce environmental releases(Calaveras Enterprise)

April 7:
Drought woes continue at New Melones (Stockton Record)

April 6:
OID approves water sales worth nearly $14 million (Modesto Bee)

April 6:
State won’t tell us how bad ‘regulatory drought’ will get (Assemblyman Adam Gray)

April 6:
Fish flows prompt outcry from Mother Lode (Sonora Union Democrat)

April 6:
Farmers promised little water next year(Tracy Press)

April 3:
Is the water wasted if we’ve got nowhere to keep it? (Modesto Bee)

April 3:
Valley’s irrigation supplies range from near-normal to dismal (Modesto Bee)

April 1:
Proposed water plan for Melones, Tulloch in the works (My Mother Lode)

April 1:
Stanislaus River flows to ramp up on Sunday (Calaveras Enterprise)

April 1:
Much of West Side gets 5% farm irrigation water allotment (Modesto Bee)

April 1:
Lack of New Melones water hits contractors (My Mother Lode)

March 26:
$10.75M flows into SSJID from 2 water deals (Manteca Bulletin)

March 25:
Water picture brightens (Stockton Record)

March 25:
Water picture brightens (Manteca Bulletin)

March 21:
Our View: Tunnels don’t add up, now we know why (Modesto Bee)

March 21:
SSJID ponders irrigation season’s start (Manteca Bulletin)

March 17:
New Melones water levels rising (Sonora Union-Democrat)

March 9:
Salmon memo March 2016

March 9:
SSJID boosts water allotment to 40 inches (Modesto Bee)

Feb. 23:
Denham introduces commonsense predation legislation (Rep. Jeff Denham’s website)

Feb. 18:
SSJID leader: More snow than last year (Manteca Bulletin)

Feb. 18:
How other districts see 2016 water supply (Modesto Bee)

Feb. 3:
River flow plan may put SSJID water in jeopardy (Manteca Bulletin)

Jan. 26:
Not enough water. Even in normal years, New Melones struggles. (Manteca Bulletin)

Jan. 25:
To migrate or not, that is the question (FISHBIO blog)

Jan. 24:
Soon, the state will explain why it wants to take our water (Modesto Bee)

Dec. 30:
Lakes rise, but slowly. Eight years of normal runoff needed to fill New Melones (Calaveras Enterprise)

Nov. 20:
Salmon returning, but drought concerns persist (Stockton Record)

Nov. 19:
Salmon struggle in local rivers (Sonora Union-Democrat)

Nov. 13:
Wasting water to kill fish (Manteca Bulletin)

Nov. 13:
Salmon on record run to nowhere (Calaveras Enterprise)

Nov. 12:
Water temperature a concern for fish (MyMotherLode.com)

Nov. 10:
Stanislaus River 2015 Salmon Press Release (FISHBIO)

Oct. 21:
State plan threatens OID, SSJID water (Oakdale Leader)

Oct. 20:
Deal helps fish, farmers (Manteca Bulletin)

Oct. 20:
New Melones pulse flow begins today (Sonora Union Democrat)

Oct. 20:
CCWD continues push for New Melones water (My Mother Lode)

Oct. 16:
Deal will continue New Melones fish flows this fall(Calaveras Enterprise)

Oct. 14:
Irrigation season ends with more storage than expected(Modesto Bee)

Oct. 14:
Unexpected benefits to flow from New Melones Water (My Mother Lode)

Oct. 13:
Deal helps fish, farmers (Manteca Bulletin)

Oct. 7:
California’s federal reservoirs even lower than last year (Sacramento Bee)

Oct. 7:
Proposed New Melones storage may benefit Tuolumne (My Mother Lode)

Sept. 23:
SSJID raises water rates for higher volume farmers (Modesto Bee)

Sept. 11:
State water officials hear about drought damage, solutions (Modesto Bee)

Sept. 8:
Officials ask public to protect lakebed artifacts (Calaveras Enterprise)

Sept. 8:
SSJID explores remaking its entire delivery system (Modesto Bee)

Aug. 28:
California water storage bond a drop in a leaky bucket (Assemblyman Adam Gray)

Aug. 27:
New Melones draining down to 1991 levels (Manteca Bulletin)

Aug. 20:
Letters pour in opposed to increased flows on the Merced River (Merced Sun-Star)

Aug. 19:
By the numbers: Critics distort agricultural water use (Manteca Bulletin)

Aug. 15:
The next drought: Water officials endorse ‘less is more strategy’ for the future (L.A. Times)

Aug. 13:
El Nino may not help (Manteca Bulletin)

Aug. 12:
State still releasing water to save fish (U-T San Diego)

Aug. 10:
Lake Tulloch water level to be lowered, angering residents (KXTV, Channel 10)

Before you go nuts attacking almond growers (Manteca Bulletin)

Lake Tulloch Draw Down Coming Sooner (My Mother Lode)

Aug. 9:
Tulloch Lake dropping early to help fish (Modesto Bee)

Aug. 8:
Homeowners claim water at Tulloch is theirs (Manteca Bulletin)

Aug. 7:
Tulloch Drawdown Press Release (Tri-Dam Project press release)

You’re helping save river (Manteca Bulletin)

Tulloch Reservoir water to be released to help trout (Calaveras Enterprise)

Aug. 3:
Water level continues to drop at New Melones Reservoir (KCRA, Channel 3)

July 27:
Who holds senior rights and where is all that water going? (California Water Alliance)

July 14:
SSJID farmers cut water use 31% (Manteca Bulletin)

July 11:
Water rights ruling a setback for California drought regulators (Sacramento Bee)

July 10:
Temporary Restraining Order issued by Sacramento judge

July 8:
More restrictions hit state’s water supplies (Ag Alert)

July 6:
California’s drought from a farming perspective (Take Two radio interview)

July 1:
State backtracks on H2O curtailment (Oakdale Leader)

June 29:
Agriculture: Fight on die (S.J. County Farm Bureau)

June 28:
Knights Ferry water discussion is tense but civil (Modesto Bee)

June 26:
Confusion reigns over state water board’s actions (ACWA video)
Some valley farmers consider notice to stop irrigating (Modesto Bee)
Drought: Water districts consider ignoring orders as ‘mass confusion’ reigns over water cutbacks (Breitbart.com)

June 25:
California hedges on water cuts; managers call situation ‘chaotic’ (Courthouse News)
SSJID won’t sign curtailment documents (Manteca Bulletin)

June 24:
We were just kidding (Manteca Bulletin)
Irrigation districts sue water board (Oakdale Leader)

June 23:
Threatened with water shutoff, Mountain House lands potential supply (Sacramento Bee)
Neighboring water district agrees to sell water to Mountain House (CBS 13, Sacramento)
Town’s water woes solved (Stockton Record)

June 22:
California water districts just sued state over cuts to farmers (Mother Jones)
Irrigation districts sue state water board over curtailment notices

June 20:
Situation in Mountain House grim (Stockton Record)

June 19:
California water districts challenge state’s order (AP News)
Lawsuits challenge California’s drought plan (Sacramento Bee)
California irrigation districts sue to overturn order to stop drawing water (Wall Street Journal)
Modesto-area irrigation districts sue over water restrictions (Modesto Bee)
Senior water rights holders take California water board to court over drought restrictions (CBS Sacramento)
SSJID sues state over water rights (Manteca Bulletin)
California water districts sue state over cutbacks during drought (Huffington Post)
California water districts challenge state’s order (SFGate)

June 16:
In epic drought, California’s water cops get tough at last (Wired)

June 15:
Court battle looms over California’s senior water rights (KQED)
The problem with predation (FISHBIO Blog)

June 13:
State puts SSJID water in jeopardy (Manteca Bulletin)
State curtails senior water rights for OID and SSJID (Modesto Bee)
California orders steep water cuts for farmers amid drought (CBS News)
Senior water rights fight (KTXL, Fox 40)

June 12:
California moves to restrict water pumping  by pre-1914 rights holders (LA Times)
California curtails senior water rights for farmers, others (Sacramento Bee)
Tulloch emergency water project moving forward (Sonora Union Democrat)

June 10:
Which crops produce most ‘pop per drop’ of water? (Sacramento Bee)
State board is unfairly taking water from San Joaquin Valley (Sacramento Bee)

May 22:
Point of View: Water Pulse (KTLA)

May 21:
State decision on possible senior water rights cuts coming next week (CBS Sacramento)

May 19:
Funds sought for new Tulloch intake (Calaveras Enterprise)

May 8:
McClintock amendment would block water purchases (Calaveras Enterprise)

May 7:
Steve Knell on Power Talk 1360

May 3:
Steve Knell: We don’t think 1 steelhead is worth 1,000 acre feet (Modesto Bee)

April 29:
Stanislaus water releases were for a few hundred fish, not six (Calaveras Enterprise)

April 28:
Another view: Too much water for too few fish (Sacramento Bee)

April 26:
Kristin Olsen: We need your voices to help secure water supply (Modesto Bee)
Another fish tale mucks up debate over the Stan (Modesto Bee)

April 24:
Tulloch project may cost more than $1 million (Calaveras Enterprise)

April 21:
Another fish tale mucks up state water debate (Sacramento Bee)

April 19:
Our View: Assembly speaker’s slap at Gray hits hard (Modesto Bee)

April 18:
This fish tale is a story of common sense getting away (DailyNews)

April 15:
Our view: Gray’s bill passes first test (Modesto Bee)

April 14:
Tulloch to remain full this summer (Calaveras Enterprise)

April 12:
Mike Dunbar: Getting a little feverish doing drought math (Modesto Bee)

April 11:
Deal protects fish, farmers and cities through Oct. 1 (Manteca Bulletin)
Districts won first river fight (Modesto Bee)
New Melones water flowing again (Sonora Union Democrat)
New Melones water deal ‘sound’ (report on Denham’s role; includes links to letters) (Sonora Union Democrat)

April 10:
California Water Alliance: 4.8 billion gallons of water for six fish (Westside Connect)
Irrigation districts announce peace deal in Stanislaus River war; fish flows may resume (Calaveras Enterprise)
Stanislaus River pact would end local defiance (Modesto Bee)
Deal addresses fish, urban and farming needs (Manteca Bulletin)
California farmers mount PR campaign to counter backlash over water use (Modesto Bee)
California warns of deep water curtailments amid drought (Sacramento Bee)
Deal made in water conflict – again (Stockton Record)
Should California spend 4 billion gallons to save a few fish? (Wired)

April 9:
California’s drought of common sense? (San Diego Union Tribune)
174,301 people or 6 fish? SSJID battles bureaucrats over  water releases (Manteca Bulletin)
OID, SSJID defy federal fish flows (Modesto Bee)
Our view: Irrigation districts were forced to defy feds (Modesto Bee)
California Water Alliance press release – 50% environment, 40% farms, 10% people
Are New Melones Lake releases necessary for fish? (News 10)
Dehydrated California loses $2 million to save nine fish (Investors Business Daily)

April 8:
OID could sue over water supply (Modesto Bee)
Water districts halt fish flow at New Melones (KCRA)
Obama’s EPA making California drought worse? (Fox News)

April 7:
SSJID defies order to release more water for fish (Manteca Bulletin)
Tuolumne supes against fed move for more Melones water (Sonora Union Democrat)
Irrigation districts challenging federal authority (Fox 40)
Emergency change made in reducing river flows (Stockton Record)

April 3:
Governor orders mandatory 25% conservation for water utility customers (Calaveras Enterprise)
Do as I say, not as I do

April 2:
Little water savings can add up to big water savings (Manteca Bulletin)
Assemblyman Adam Gray: Our water future is at a critical crossroads (Modesto Bee)

April 1:
No snow job … this is it for water (Manteca Bulletin)
How will low water affect tourism at New Melones Lake? (KCRA)
Governor orders water reduction of 25% (Modesto Bee)

March 30:
Tulloch water forum draws hundreds (Sonora Union Democrat)
Irrigation districts: State could derail delicate Stanislaus water deal (Modesto Bee)
Hundreds attend water crisis forum in Copperopolis (The Pine Tree)

March 29:
Drought deal: State board should support responsible plan for Stanislaus, New Melones (Manteca Bulletin)

March 28:
So why are those Stanislaus County canals filled with water? (Modesto Bee)

March 27:
Forum near Tulloch will explore river flows (Modesto Bee)

March 26:
Worse than the worst-case scenario (Manteca Bulletin)

March 25:
Deal on Stanislaus River fish could aid Lake Tulloch (Modesto Bee)

March 24:
Deal would spare Lake Tulloch this summer (Stockton Record)
Deal may save Lake Tulloch this summer (Sonora Union Democrat)
Copper residents watch New Melones releases with concern (Calaveras Enterprise)

March 20:
Large release of water planned for New Melones (KXTV News 10)

March 18:
Oakdale Irrigation moving to limit water for farm use (Manteca Bulletin)
Farmers asked for thoughts on OID irrigation water cap (Modesto Bee)

March 17:
Oakdale Irrigation District weighs historic water cap (Modesto Bee)

March 12:
Congressmen: Stanislaus River is being grossly mismanaged (Manteca Bulletin)

March 11:
Lake Tulloch water outlook precarious (Modesto Bee)
SSJID caps water deliveries for the first time (Modesto Bee)

March 5:
Water rights fight as groups try to save salmon, farms and drinking water (KTXL Fox 40)

March 4:
Fish vs. people frustration rages at Oakdale Irrigation District meeting (Modesto Bee)
Making drought worse? Bureau accelerates draining of New Melones) (Manteca Bulletin)

Feb. 27:
Calaveras supervisors to ask feds for help with Tulloch Reservoir (Calaveras Enterprise)
Dennis Wyatt column on SSJID, OID and Tulloch Lake (Manteca Bulletin) (Manteca Bulletin)

Feb. 25:
SSJID declares water emergency (Manteca Bulletin)

Feb. 24:
Lake Tulloch residents concerned environmental rules could drain reservoir (KCRA)
Lake Tulloch, prized Mother Lode reservoir, may be drained (Stockton Record)
Continuing drought could lead to draining of Lake Tulloch (Calaveras Enterprise)

Feb. 22:
Residents question plan to drain Lake Tulloch (KXTV, CBS Sacramento)

Feb. 20:
Lake Tulloch draw costly for CCWD (Sonora Union Democrat)

Feb. 18:
Drought: Draw down Lake Tulloch (Sonora Union Democrat)
Drought could spur draining of Tulloch Lake (Modesto Bee)