California's Water Supply is at Stake
'Natural Resources' Will Come at a Price - You Will Own Nothing & Be Happy
For the first time since 1977, the year 2023 marks the only major conference of the United Nations (UN) dedicated entirely to the future of our world’s water supply. The UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6) is to ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all by 2030.
The UN’s research has predicted that the world's dams will lose a quarter of storage capacity by 2050. This prediction stems as a result of sedimentation build-ups, eroding global water and energy security. Per Reuters, ‘The U.N. study looked at data from more than 47,000 dams in 150 countries and said 16% of original capacity had already been lost. It said the United States is facing losses of 34% by 2050, with Brazil estimated to lose 23%, India 26% and China 20%’.
Individuals worldwide have expressed skepticism regarding the political intent driving the motives of the UN’S SDG as government agencies across America follow suit with their guidance. Just last year, Mr. Brad Sherwood, Assistant General Manager of The Sonoma County Water Agency (SCWA) attended the COP27 - 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference alongside other local government leaders.
The demolition of dams could essentially be seen as an attack on the agriculture industry while drastically reducing the water supply available to constituents. As referenced from a September 2023 article from LA Times, ‘the standard for indoor water use will be 47 gallons per person per day by 2025 and drop to 42 gallons per person per day in 2030’. These sweeping water conservation rules could cause drastic cuts in usage across the State of California. Ironically, these propositions are timed in alignment with the fulfillment of Agenda 2030.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) stated that ‘each American uses an average of 82 gallons of water a day at home (USGS, Estimated Use of Water in the United States in 2015)’. The goals as outlined with Agenda 2030 would require each American to cut their water usage nearly in half over the next few years.
Over the past week, PG&E formalized a plan to eliminate Lake Pillsbury in Mendocino National Forest in a landmark move. This announcement will result in the removal of both Scott and Cape Horn dams. As referenced from The Press Democrat: ‘PG&E has said it could get regulatory approval for deconstructing the dams as early as 2028, depending on environmental review of the plan. It is not clear when dam demolition might begin…PG&E is still determining which of two approaches to take in removing Scott Dam, primarily related to how to handle sediment accumulated behind the dam and how best to release the stored water to limit its dispersal.’
‘Sonoma County Supervisor James Gore called it ”big deal,“ saying PG&E ”could have taken the easy way out … and moved ahead with a less complex solution — one that doesn’t deal with multiple jurisdictions, partners, opinions, end goals.“
Members of the regional group, which includes the Round Valley Indian Tribes, are in the process of creating a joint power authority to establish the framework for governance and funding of the proposed diversion system, dubbed the new Eel-Russian Facility.
A tremendous amount of work still lies ahead to design, engineer, finance, establish operating protocols and arrange water rights in order to bring the diversion proposal to fruition.
But Gore, many of whose north county constituents depend on Russian River flows for municipal and agricultural use, as do thousands more in Mendocino County, said they knew what was coming and know what’s at stake in ensuring diversions continue, even if it comes at a cost.
“Everybody knows, unless they’ve been hiding under a rock, that the days of free water are gone,” Gore said.
The regional proposal comes with a pledge to move forward without delaying dam removals and promoting restoration of the fishery.’
Ironically, Sonoma County Supervisor James Gore is the spouse of the UN’s very first Resident Entrepreneur, Ms. Elizabeth McKee Gore. Ms. Gore has also held the title of Vice President of Global Partnerships to the UN Foundation. One may ask if these decisions are based on the best interest of the stakeholders or rather corporate profit.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries Restoration Center and Office of Habitat Conservation has consulted the County of Sonoma for decades regarding environmental resources with the Sonoma County Water Agency. Mr. David Manning, Environmental Resources Manager, Sonoma County Water Agency, has shared a mortgage for the past decades with Ms. Natalie Cosentino-Manning, Acting Supervisor for Damage Assessment, Remediation, and Restoration Program, NOAA Office of Habitat Conservation. Mr. Manning has been employed with SCWA since 1999 while Ms. Manning has been employed with the NOAA since 2000. Based on the records of deed, one may presume these folks are related.
In 2013, the Russian River watershed was selected by NOAA as the nation’s first Habitat Focus Area under the Habitat Blueprint strategy. This selection was made by NOAA in recognition of the opportunity presented by the Water Agency and other partners to meet multiple habitat conservation objectives on a watershed scale.
The Russian River Habitat Focus Area Implementation Plan (Implementation Plan), written by NOAA staff, identified a suite of projects in the watershed that could be funded through NOAA’s Habitat Blueprint strategy. NOAA’s National Ocean Service, NOAA Fisheries, NOAA’s Office of Atmospheric Research, and the National Weather Service have initiated multiple projects with the Water Agency and other partners that are expected to yield measurable results in three to five years.
In 2014, the Sonoma County Water Agency (Water Agency) submitted a proposal titled “Russian River Habitat Planning, Restoration and Conservation” to NOAA’s Habitat Blueprint program in coordination with NOAA and over 25 partners. The Water Agency was awarded a three-year grant to support a variety of projects in the watershed.
Grant Year 3 Funds Allocations:
In July 2016, NOAA informed the Water Agency that grant funds in the amount of $332,000 have been allocated for Year 3 of the Program, with a Water Agency cost share of $68,000, for a total project cost of $400,000. Five new projects from the Implementation Plan, selected by NOAA staff, have been added to the Russian River Habitat Blueprint funding portfolio.
The NOAA Habitat Blueprint: Planning for Sea Level Rise was later drafted by Ms. Manning to be utilized for the Public Policy Facilitating Committee regarding the Russian River Instream Flow & Restoration. Supervisor James Gore was the Chair for this Committee.
Following the Committee's 2017 recommendations regarding the Russian River Estuary, the NOAA announced $1.2 million in funding for habitat restoration in seven Habitat Focus Areas as of 2018. Only 7 projects in the entire United States were selected as funding partners. For the whole State of California, the selection was: Russian River Habitat Focus Area Planning for Habitat and Fisheries Enhancement and Reliability ($155,000).
Federal funds are appropriated annually by Congress, and each year NOAA
identifies projects it wishes to sponsor. In addition to being a Habitat Blueprint program partner, the Water Agency acts as the administrator for the grant and passes through funds to partners of sponsored projects.
Per Open Secrets, the Sonoma County Water Agency lobbied the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration as of 2016 and onward. Are nepotism or conflicts of interest present within the County of Sonoma?
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