Stream Restoration News for August 26, 2009

I apologize for missing yesterday. I was doing field work all day, paying back some people for help they've given me in the past. Now, some restoration news.

A nice Washington Post round up of water supply issues nationwide: US must rethink policies on water supply

St. John's Riverkeeper's blog "Riverhugger" has their own statement on the limits set last week to control eutrophication in the river and, as they say, "Fight the Green Monster"

Hawaii is starting a new program on Oahu to control soil erosion to protect water quality

South Carolina residents argue for dam removal on Twelve Mile River

Korea will get a bunch of hotels aimed at cyclists as part of the final stage of their massive Four River Restoration Including people in the plans is one of the nice parts of the work Korea has been doing in restoring rivers through developed areas.

Via Aquafornia, Earthjustice has launched a suit to continue the protection of salmon and other marine life against pressures from the fishing industry

Stream Restoration News for August 24, 2009

"Environmental groups on Friday lauded long-awaited action by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to set legal limits for farm and urban runoff polluting Florida's waterways, limits that could serve as a model for other states."

"Federal regulators are recommending only minor changes to a proposal to remove two Penobscot River [ME] dams and bypass a third as part of a historic plan to restore fish habitat throughout the watershed."

"Political wrangling dogs plan to fix Irondequoit Creek's [NY] erosion"

Getting real about sediment needs on the Louisiana coast

Stream Restoration News for August 21, 2009

I meant to mention this yesterday: A USGS study found that out of 300 streams sampled across the US all had mercury contamination in fish and 27% of sites exceeded EPA recommendations for human consumption

New York salmon resurgence indicates species recovery See also, USGS press release

Inmates from Washinton's Belfair’s Mission Creek Corrections Center for Women have teamed up with the Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group to help restore streams

Bonneville Environmental Foundation is attempting to introduce the idea of water trading credits: Through WRCs, BEF offers businesses and individuals an opportunity to take responsibility for their water consumption by restoring to nature an amount of water equal to what they use. Each WRC represents one thousand gallons of water restored to critically dewatered streams.

Stream Restoration News for August 20, 2009

I'm back. Well, we'll see, but it seems like it might be possible to resume this now.


Via Riparian Rap, the New York Times Dot Earth blog last month had a nice story about daylighting large urban streams

"Supporters of the vast wetlands behind Gold Ray Dam [in Southern Oregon] urged Jackson County, OR officials Tuesday to slow down on their fast-track plans to remove the 105-year-old dam from the Rogue River, saying the consequences of dam removal are too great for getting vetted so quickly."

In another similarly named place, Jackson County, NC is attempting to use eminent domain to prevent a dam removal siting historic preservation and recreational reasons

"The Tulalip Tribes recently received $2 million in National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds for continuing work on the Qwuloolt Estuary Restoration project, critical to salmon recovery in Puget Sound."

A competition to catch carp (of all things) will raise money for restoration of Colorado's South Platte River

The New York Times Green Inc blog covers retrofitting existing dams (rather than building new ones) to provide "green" hydroelectric power How "green" hydroelectric power really is probably depends on how much you value rivers.

More on dams: Aquafornia brings us a news round up of the newest round of debate over managing water in California and whether new dams are part of the answer

And On Water has good coverage of a bunch more dam removal stories

Coyote Gulch tells about the complications of trying to restore a mine impacted stream

From KlamBlog covering all thing Klamath Basin: "The Shasta and Scott are going dry – Will anyone take action?"

So there we have it. I did a post. Any readers out there, I always love your links and will start putting them up again.

Continuation of this blog?

I've had several questions about what happened to this blog. Basically, my dissertation happened. At this point, writing that comes first and I don't feel like I can keep up with what's going on in the outside world to the necessary extent to provide the coverage, and snark, that you have all come to expect here. I am imagining that after this summer, my last field season, I will be able to come back to it.

If anyone would be interested in becoming a co-blogger here, I would love to talk to you about it.

Stream Restoration News for November 18, 2008

And the response to last weeks big news:
San Joaquin River restoration bill postponed until 2009 which is probably the best anyone could hope for. Also, compromises have been reached with two water districts who were refusing to get behind the plan

A good round up of all the San Joaquin news

And, worse news, Is Schwarzenegger Trading Klamath Dam Removal for the Destruction of the Delta?

Budget cuts in Massachusetts will impact stream restoration program

Dike breaching aids endangered sucker restoration in Oregon

The Texas Parks & Wildlife Foundation announced today a $250,000 donation from Wal-Mart Foundation to provide catalytic funding for a new watershed restoration initiative

Stream Restoration News for November 14, 2008

Big news today The dams are coming down on the Klamath! The most powerful opponents of efforts to remove four dams that have blocked salmon migration on the Klamath River for the past century did an about-face Thursday and agreed in principle to a dam-removal plan along the California and Oregon border. and Federal and state officials sign nonbinding deal to remove Klamath River dams. Lots of coverage: AP, YubaNet, American Rivers, WaterWired (Oregon State University), and TroutUnderground offers A Brief History of the Contentious Klamath River Salmon Recovery/Dam Removal Issue

But the news continues: New legislation has been introduced in Congress to resolve the issues surrounding restoration of the contentious San Joaquin River in California. Even agricultural interests are recognizing that this deal is likely best for the river, says the Merced Sun Star

And one more story I've been following for awhile: U.S. District Judge Ursula Ungaro granted a preliminary injunction sought by the Miccosukee Tribe to stop the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers from beginning construction of a one-mile bridge on the historic road, which has long blocked the natural flow of the River of Grass The tribe argues that the proposed "correction" won't do enough to restore natural flow to the Everglades.

And a final cool note: Several European municipalities are working to insure that management of urban rivers has both environmental and social benefits