Tuolumne River Trust

Bay Area Kid's Essay Contest Winners

Karen — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 16:00:00 -0700

The Tuolumne River Trust is pleased to announce the winners of our third annual kid's essay contest.

As part of our education program, we asked Bay Area 4th, 5th, and 6th graders to write essays about the Tuolumne River and water conservation. We received 31 excellent essays, and it was a very hard decision.

Our grand prize winner is Isha Rajput, a 5th grader from Palo Alto. Isha's essay "The Tuolumne River Needs Help!" can be found here. Because of her wonderful essay and commitment to protecting the Tuolumne, Isha won a canoe trip for four on the Tuolumne River this summer. Congratulations, Isha!

Our second prize winner won a backpack stuffed with TRT goodies, and our third place winner won a backpack, both courtesy of REI.

To read other prizewinning essays, click on the student's name below:

Second Place: Monisha Saxena, 5th grade, Fremont
Third Place: Alice Talker, 4th grade, San Francisco
Runner Up: Ruhani Kapoor, 6th grade, Fremont
Runner Up: Sarah Marks, 5th grade, Menlo Park
Runner Up: Sunny Sun, 6th grade, Fremont

The Tuolumne River Trust wants to thank each and every student who entered, for your passion for the River. We know that the River will be in good hands in the future, with folks like you around to protect it!

RUN & RIDE THE RIVER: Pathway Maps

Analisa Freitas — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 12:50:00 -0700

Interested in taking a run, walk, or bike ride through our Riverside Communities and along the beautiful Tuolumne River right here in Modesto? Ever wanted to know how to get from the Tuolumne River over to other neighborhoods in Modesto?

Take a look at these pathway maps that we have created (below) to take you along the 3 main regions of developed and developing parkway of the Tuolumne River and Tuolumne River Regional Park (TRRP) and from Airport Neighborhood to La Loma Park.

Please note that not all pathways indicated on these maps are paved.

*These maps were created using www.mapmyride.com - You can search these maps and others by clicking the link and searching "Tuolumne River" under the tab Maps >> Find a Map.*

Take action to restore the Bay Delta and its tributaries, including the Tuolumne

Karyn Barnes — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 10:22:27 -0700

The Bay Delta Water Quality Control Plan is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to improve unimpaired flows into the Bay-Delta.

Here's what you can do:

1) View a short Youtube presentation on the Bay Delta Water Quality Control Plan.

2) Attend the State Water Board hearing on Wednesday, March 20 starting at 9am in the Coastal Hearing Room, Cal/EPA Building, 1001 I Street, Second Floor, Sacramento.

3) Submit written comments to the State Water Board by noon on March 29 (details below).

4) DONATE NOW to ensure TRT has the funds necessary to tackle this urgent challenge facing the health of the Tuolumne River.

The Great Race for Saving Water 5K Fun Run & Walk

Karyn Barnes — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 13:57:45 -0800

CLICK HERE TO BE TAKEN TO THE GREAT RACE FOR SAVING WATER 5K FUN RUN & WALK WEBSITE...

LaGrange Dam catches the eye of government

Karyn Barnes — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 09:15:49 -0800

Source: Modesto Bee
Date: Monday, December 31, 2012
Journalist: John Holland

NOW HIRING

Karyn Barnes — Sat, 15 Dec 2012 14:28:37 -0800

Working at Tuolumne River Trust

Working at Tuolumne River Trust isn't a normal 9-5. We're a high-energy, fast-paced, entrepreneurial-spirited grassroots non-profit, and we work hard to address the many challenges facing the Tuolumne River. Our people are our greatest asset - we hire individuals who are professional, collaborative, and creative thinkers with a can-do attitude and a passion for river protection.

Paddle to the Sea Coordinator (San Francisco, Modesto or Sonora)

The Tuolumne River Trust (TRT) is currently seeking a Coordinator for Paddle to the Sea - an annual paddle-a-thon from Yosemite to the Golden Gate that builds support for stewardship of the river. This could be a full-time or contract position. The successful candidate will manage and oversee recruitment for and implementation of this month-long event that takes place in May and June with support from the staff (including outgoing Director), board members, interns, volunteers and professional guides. Night and weekend hours required as well as travel throughout the watershed. Competitive salary and excellent benefits.

Email jessie@tuolumne.org for more information.

Introduction to Budget-Based Water Rates Workshop

Karyn Barnes — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 09:23:52 -0800

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

1:00 pm � 3:00 pm

City of Redwood City Council Chambers

1017 Middlefield Road, Redwood City, CA

Free � Register at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/303901

WORKSHOP PURPOSE

Introduce history, principles, and ways to approach the development of budget-based water rates.

Learn how incorporating budget-based water rates into your agency's rate structure can achieve

water savings.

WORKSHOP OVERVIEW

Objectives

The participants should leave the workshop with an introductory understanding of:

� What budget-based water rates are

� How to implement budget-based water rates

� Case Studies

Audience

Workshop Attendees are likely to be:

� City / Water Agency Staff

� Elected Officials

� Environmental NGOs

� Interested citizens

Agenda / Timing

Agenda Item	Description	Time
Introductions		1:00 � 1:15
Panel Discussion	This will be a moderated panel discussion including brief presentations and responses to specific questions.	1:15 � 2:15
Audience Questions	The audience will have the opportunity to have their questions answered by the expert panelists.	2:15 � 3:00

PANELISTS

A panel of leading experts will focus on the varying structures of budget-based water rates. Other

topics will include specific case studies, strategies for presenting a budget-based water rate structure

to decision makers, tips on educating customers, and lessons learned.

Tom Ash

Tom Ash has over 25 years of experience in the fields of water use efficiency, public education and

horticulture. He was instrumental in the design and implementation of the first water budget tiered

rate structure for Irvine Ranch Water District (IRWD) in 1991. The IRWD rate design has been

described as "the model" for such rates in the US by the EPA and resulted in a 61% reduction in

landscape water use, reduced non-point source water pollution, stable agency revenues, and increased

the customer satisfaction rate to over 90%.

Dan Muelrath

Daniel Muelrath is the Water Resources Sustainability Manager for the City of Santa Rosa Utilities

Department. His responsibilities include the implementation of the City's Real-time ETo Budget Based

Rate for irrigation meters which has resulted in large landscapes irrigating to 50% of local ETo.

Juliet Christian-Smith

Dr. Juliet Christian-Smith is a Senior Research Associate with the Pacific Institute's Water Program. Her

interests include agricultural water uses, comparative analyses of water governance structures, water

reuse, and climate change.

Steve Toler

Steve Toler is the Assistant City Manager of the City of Foster City and the Estero Municipal

Improvement District. He was instrumental in implementing a conservation-based water rate structure

in Foster City, including tiered water rates for residential properties and water budgets for irrigation

customers. Since 2010, Foster City has reduced its water consumption by over 20%.

RSVP

This event is offered FREE of charge. Please RSVP by January 11, 2013.

http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/303901

SPONSORS
City of Redwood City
Tuolumne River Trust
Wholly H2O
Bay Area Water Supply & Conservation Agency

ACT NOW To Restore Dos Rios Ranch

Karyn Barnes — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 15:00:00 -0700

THE YEAR END
MATCHING GIFT CHALLENGE
IS ON!

CLICK HERE TO MAKE A SECURE DONATION TODAY

We did it! We protected 1,600 acres along the Tuolumne and San Joaquin Rivers.
Now it's time to to return it back to nature.

Stop the Water Transfer

Jessie Raeder — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 13:56:00 -0700

The Tuolumne River Trust is opposed to the proposed water transfer (sale) from the Modesto Irrigation District (MID) to the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC). We're concerned it could further harm the Tuolumne River and would be a terrible investment for San Francisco and its wholesale customers in San Mateo, Santa Clara and Alameda Counties.

The water transfer would:

Divert an additional 2 million gallons of water per day (mgd) in dry years from the 36-mile stretch of river between the Hetch Hetchy and Don Pedro Reservoirs.
Trigger negotiations for an additional 22 mgd water transfer (enough to fill 290,000 swimming pools per year).
Disincentivize water conservation, both in the Bay Area and the Central Valley.
Cost Bay Area water agencies more than $15 million over the 10-year contract.
Obligate Bay Area water agencies to pay for the water every year, whether it was needed or not. Projections from 2008 suggest the water would only be needed in one of five years, making it a terrible investment. Funds would be better spent on water conservation and recycling.

What is the water transfer?
How does the water transfer threaten the Tuolumne?
Why is the water transfer a bad investment?
Why is it an especially bad deal for San Francisco ratepayers?
What is a better alternative?
What can you do about it?

What is the water transfer?

In 2008 the SFPUC considered its Water System Improvement Program (WSIP), including a plan to divert an additional 25 mgd from the Tuolumne River. We successfully convinced the SFPUC to cap water sales at 265 mgd until at least 2018, and to focus on water conservation and recycling instead of diverting more water from the River. The one remaining point of contention was the SFPUC's plan to pursue a water transfer.

Despite the fact that water use has declined by 20% since 2008, the SFPUC has continued to pursue the water transfer, and they now have a willing seller in MID. MID has $115 million in unfunded infrastructure improvements, and rather than raising agricultural water rates from less than $10 per acre-foot to something more realistic, they're hoping the SFPUC will cover their costs by paying them $700 per acre-foot for water whether the Bay Area uses it or not.

If the 2 mgd water transfer is approved, MID and the SFPUC will then enter into negotiations to transfer an additional 22 mgd, so we're basically back to the 25 mgd diversion we prevented in 2008. And this is for water the Bay Area doesn't need.

View the draft water transfer agreement

How does the water transfer threaten the Tuolumne?

The Tuolumne is already in serious decline. 60% of the River's natural flow is diverted for agriculture and urban uses. As a result, the salmon population has plummeted from historical highs of 130,000 fish per year to less than 1,000 in five of the past six years. Water quality in the lower Tuolumne River is listed as impaired under the Clean Water Act.

The Tuolumne needs more water, not less!

In March, TRT submitted comments to the SFPUC laying out our concerns about the water transfer. We reminded SFPUC officials that they had an outstanding obligation dating back to the 1980s to study fish and wildlife conditions in the River below Hetch Hetchy and to modify releases from O'Shaughnessy Dam as a condition of expanding their Kirkwood Powerhouse. The Department of Fish and Wildlife released a draft study with recommended instream flows in 1994, but it was never finalized or adopted.

The draft study recommended increasing releases from O'Shaughnessy Dam by 37%. When TRT brought this issue to the SFPUC's attention a few years ago, they agreed that their legal obligation had not been met, and they initiated an Upper Tuolumne River Ecosystem Project, with the goal of completing it and an Adaptive Management Plan by December, 2009.

Two-and-a-half years later, the study and plan are still incomplete, and yet without considering this new data, the SFPUC claims the water transfer would have a "less than significant" impact on the Tuolumne. This is the same mentally that led to current bad River conditions.

Why is the water transfer a bad investment?

The water transfer would cost the SFPUC and its wholesale customers $1.568 million per year. The contract would obligate payment of this sum every year regardless of whether the water was used or not. Water use and demand projections are way down since the transfer was initiated, so it's unlikely we would need any additional water for the foreseeable future, but we'd still have to pay for it every year.

In 2008 the SFPUC and its wholesale customers used more than 250 mgd. Last year that figure dropped to less than 215 mgd. Future demand projections also have declined dramatically. An SFPUC graph shows water use projections remaining flat over the next few years.

A recent SFPUC report acknowledged that while the cost of transfer water would be $700 per acre-foot, the actual cost of water used would be $2,423 per acre-foot. Water conservation, on the other hand, costs $1,089 per acre-foot.

A breakdown of cost per agency shows how much each city or water agency would be obligated to pay.

Why is it an especially bad deal for San Francisco ratepayers?

The goal of the water transfer is to augment dry-year water supplies. However, the drought allocation formula is very favorable to San Francisco, and there is very little chance the City would ever need additional water. Therefore, San Franciscans would pay more than $5 million over the 10-year contract for water they don't need, essentially subsidizing the SFPUC's wholesale customer agencies outside of the City.

For example, water use in San Francisco is expected to be 71 mgd in 2035 while the City's drought allocation would be 79.5 mgd in the third year of a drought. Systemwide water supply would have to drop by more than 28% to less than 190 mgd before San Francisco had to reduce its water use by a single drop, even in a drought.

What is a better alternative?

The $15 million for the water transfer would be much better spent on water conservation and recycling programs. There's tremendous potential for conserving water in landscape irrigation in the BAWSCA territory, where 26 water agencies purchase water from the SFPUC. You can view an editorial with more details.

What can you do about it?

Send an email to the SFPUC encouraging them to terminate negotiations for the water transfer and to instead promote water conservation and recycling.
If you don't have time to write your own message, please send a pre-written email
Encourage your friends to visit this site to learn more about the issue.
If you live in the Central Valley, attend the MID meeting when they vote. In the Bay Area, attend the SFPUC meeting. Contact Peter Drekmeier to let him know you're interested in dates and details when they're available.

"The San Francisco Board of Supervisors, pursuant to the City's stewardship responsibility for the Tuolumne River, urges the San Francisco Planning Department and the Public Utilities Commission to analyze a water supply alternative in the Program Environmental Impact Report that will not result in increased diversions of freshwater from the Tuolumne River."
- San Francisco Board of Supervisors , June 12, 2007

"As you know, the Tuolumne River is a precious resource and the City and County of San Francisco should continue to protect it. Thus, the Commission urges the SFPUC to continue to find alternative ways to provide water supply to the service area that do not involve withdrawing additional water off the Tuolumne River."
- San Francisco Planning Commission , December 18, 2008

Tuolumne Watershed Cleanup

Paige Norberg — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 14:28:00 -0700