Now that we have transitioned from fall into winter, the Sacramento Valley is welcoming incredible numbers of migratory and wintering birds to the region every day. The habitat these species are now benefiting from is the result of months of deliberate w
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Sometimes we are lucky to live surrounded by nature’s beauty and creatures, most of the time we take it for granted until it smacks us in the face! Since childhood, I have lived in the Sacramento Valley; through high school the rice fields were jus
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This past December, prominent outdoors journalist Tom Stienstra wrote in the San Francisco Chronicle about the valuable habitat the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex is providing for birds this time of year. In the article, Stienstra captures t
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There are many perspectives on climate change and its potential impact on California’s water supplies. A recent article looks at whether California’s water right system is able to adjust to any shifting water supplies that result from changes in climate.
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A recent study conducted by scientists with University of California, Davis and the University of California Cooperative Extension investigated the value deliberate winter flooding of fields during rainy years would have in recharging groundwater in Calif
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In the summer of 1938, during the height of the Great Depression, ground was broken for the largest public works project in Northern California. The people in Northern California this past week honored the important role that Shasta Dam and the resulting
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Jay Lund, a professor of Civil Engineering, has prepared a “cheat sheet on the California drought” that provides some valuable insights into the drought. He highlights that water is our lifeblood and no drop is wasted. His conclusions–which translat
2018-11-08 17:32 admin 42
El Niño has been in the news, associated with Godzilla, Bruce Lee and many other colorful terms. While interesting, the thought and prospect of very wet conditions on the heels of a four year drought is not new to the Sacramento Valley and is very real to
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Tuesday, March 22, 2016 – Shasta Reservoir has topped out at 3.9 million acre-feet of storage for the past four days as the Bureau of Reclamation ramped up flood releases to make sure the reservoir has enough capacity. The releases have been set at 17,00
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Water is valued greatly on our family farm and we have spent many years trying to improve the efficiency of our water use here. And this time of year is interesting in relation to water because we have about four to five inches of water in the field right
2018-11-08 17:31 admin 47
It is the dead of winter but the rice fields outside of Knights Landing are full of life. Traditionally, this is the slowest time of year for the farmer as his crops have been harvested and he typically would be found patiently waiting for the spring plan
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Last week I attended the Rice Experiment Station’s Centennial Field Day Celebration. It was a great celebration! A celebration of dreams and dedication: our ancestors who 100 years ago didn’t know what might become of rice in California, but they were ins
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By Brent Hastey, Yuba Water Agency Board Chairman In November, voters will face a string of initiatives. As the chairman of the Yuba Water Agency and the president of the Association of California Water Agencies, I encourage you to take a good, hard look
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As I sit here watching the graphs of the various rivers and reservoirs, I am amazed at how much water we have received this year and how little of it we will be able to put to good use, be it for irrigation, domestic (read drinking water), generation or e
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California voters on November 6 will have the opportunity to pass Proposition 3, the largest environmental habitat and water bond in California’s history. The NCWA Board of Directors supports Proposition 3 as a long-term investment in managing water for m
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Springtime, Planting Season, Time to Seed; whatever name you chose – it is crunch time on our rice farm. The window for planting rice in California begins about April 15th and ends about June 1st. However the optimal time to plant rice is from May 1st to
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We grow rice and walnuts and pretty much know how much water needs to grow the crop. It is dependent on weather because it uses more if it is hot, and less if it is mild. Growing food is much like feeding a baby. If you do not feed the child it will becom
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As part of a larger sustainability initiative in the Sacramento Valley, water resources managers from throughout the region have come together to form a Task Force with an eye to continuously improve water management. As a first step to better understand
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Restoring California’s waterways can be controversial, difficult and expensive. Nevertheless, for state agencies, including the State Water Resources Control Board, it is an important part of our responsibility. Budget limitations however, are chang
2018-11-08 17:30 admin 57
Board rooms throughout the world are abuzz with a new approach to doing business under the banner of creating “shared value.” Shared value is created when companies generate economic value to serve their business interests in a way that simult
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