River settlement closer Nov 12, 2008
11/12/08 00:00:00 The 20-year struggle to resolve the question of San Joaquin River restoration may be nearing the finish line. Federal legislation essential to the effort appears headed for a vote, either in the lame-duck session of Congress now under way, or by the new Congress early next year. (Fresno Bee)
San Joaquin River restoration bill nears passage Nov 12, 2008
WASHINGTON -- The San Joaquin River restoration effort, which has had many near-death experiences amid federal budget concerns and farmer worries, now appears poised for congressional approval as early as next week ... Exchange contractors agreed to give up their historic share of San Joaquin River water in exchange for delta water via the Delta-Mendota Canal, but they reserved the right to reclaim their river allocation ... It also alarmed some farmers who worry that restoring water flows and... (Fresno Bee -- Local)
Logjam in San Joaquin River restoration bill broken Nov 12, 2008
Aerial shot showing the San Joaquin River joining the Sacramento River, forming the Sacramento San Joaquin Delta area, northwest of Stockton ... WASHINGTON -- San Joaquin River restoration efforts, a roller-coaster ride if there ever was one, have cleared what could be the last big hump before congressional approval ... It also alarmed some farmers who worried that restoring water flows and salmon populations to the San Joaquin River below Friant Dam would sap irrigation deliveries. (Modesto Bee, CA)
Kearney Park Renaissance Faire relocates Nov 10, 2008
Wayne and Barbara Boring from Coarsegold dress in period finery Sunday at the Renaissance Faire at Sycamore Island on the San Joaquin River ... After years at Kearney Park, the annual Renaissance Faire organized by the St. Giles Guild -- a local group of Renaissance enthusiasts -- moved this year to the opposite end of Fresno: Sycamore Island on the San Joaquin River. (Fresno Bee -- Local)
MARVIN HUGHES: Congress must resolve river settlement plan Nov 8, 2008
I want to make one thing very clear: Friant is not enthusiastic about giving up any part of its water to restore salmon on the San Joaquin River. We fought against that in court for 18 years. (Fresno Bee -- Opinion)
TAL CLOUD: San Joaquin settlement not worth the risk Nov 6, 2008
This means water will run down the San Joaquin River to the ocean, lost forever ... The current bill calls for no federal funding but will require the federal government to turn the San Joaquin River into a cold water fishery even though NRDC'S own report "In Hot Water" indicates that the water from behind Friant Dam is too warm to support a viable salmon population ... Passing this federal legislation would set a historic precedent that would require additional water to be sent down the San... (Fresno Bee -- Opinion)
Why we might all want to think twice about the virtues of a green, lush lawn Nov 6, 2008
Stanislaus and San Joaquin River water gets diverted upstream for agricultural and urban users in the southern Central Valley. By the time the San Joaquin River gets to the Delta, it has become what Sen. (Lodi News Sentinel, CA)
From school boards to bonds, Valley votes Nov 5, 2008
Central Unified, which ranges from the San Joaquin River to as far south as American Avenue and as far west as Sycamore Avenue, is a mix of urban and rural areas generally west of Highway 99. Central Unified school boardOne incumbent was winning and another was on his way to losing. (Fresno Bee -- Local)
Editorial: Time for a deal on San Joaquin? Nov 3, 2008
Two years ago, a fragile peace broke out between environmentalists and farmers near Fresno over an 18-year-old lawsuit involving flows in the San Joaquin River ... Yet like the situation in Afghanistan or other tribal territories, peace does not come easily to the San Joaquin River ... Such a deal could evaporate if the San Joaquin River-restoration package becomes a victim of tribal warfare. (Sacramento Bee -- Opinion)
Project is a network connection Oct 30, 2008
Hiking from Millerton Lake to Devils Postpile National Monument on a continuous trail that traces the San Joaquin River soon could be a reality for outdoor enthusiasts ... Imagine hiking from Millerton Lake to Devils Postpile National Monument on a continuous trail that traces the San Joaquin River ... "Optimistically, we could be as soon as three to five years away from that," said Steve Haze, president of the San Joaquin River Trail Council. (Fresno Bee -- Sports)
Central Unified bonds a tough sell Oct 25, 2008
The district includes 88 square miles, from the San Joaquin River to as far south as American Avenue and as far west as Sycamore Avenue. Opponents said that Measure B includes some projects that should be postponed because finances are tight for many district residents. (Fresno Bee -- Local)
Forget Capistrano ... Oct 24, 2008
In the Tracy field not far from the San Joaquin River, as the sunlight narrowed to a peach-hued band along the horizon, Coursey alerted others standing on the road, chatting. "If you're not looking through your binoculars, you're missing the birds," he called out. (Modesto Bee, CA)
Reliving a father's joy with a grandson Oct 21, 2008
"Punkinpatch?"The excitement is primed by the fact that one of his favorite books is "A Day at the Pumpkin Patch."On a perfect night to pick out a pumpkin, we gather sweaters and sweatshirts and head to Cobb Ranch off Highway 41 near the San Joaquin River. As soon as we get on the freeway, Matthew's focus shifts to the traffic. (Fresno Bee -- Local)
Streetcars rode the rails in Fresno until '39 Oct 20, 2008
The streetcar business was renamed the Fresno Traction Co. Streetcars eventually carried passengers from downtown Fresno to the Sunnyside area, west Fresno, Roeding Park, and as far as Pinedale and to Fresno Beach on the San Joaquin River northwest of town. Fresno Traction Co. was purchased by the Southern Pacific Co. in 1910. (Fresno Bee -- Local)
Story lacked details Oct 18, 2008
The story merely tells us that some GOPers' are "fed up" with other GOPers being "on the wrong side of issues," "Too comfortable," or not unified on how to fund the bailout bill or the San Joaquin River restoration bill, etc. The "current financial crisis" is "an emotional issue," a "big disappointment," risk of "meltdown" and the "backlash" is not "surfacing among Democrats," etc. (Fresno Bee -- Opinion)
Babying babies Oct 17, 2008
Stacie Venkatesan, clinic nurse specialist, shows off one of the private neonatal intensive care rooms, this one with a nice view looking toward the San Joaquin River. Share this story: | | Babying babies Children's Hospital adds private rooms to its neonatal intensive care unit, which serves 1,000 newborns each year. (Fresno Bee)
The skinny on fat-tire trails Oct 17, 2008
SAN JOAQUIN RIVERDifficulty: SportMileage: 15 miles, one wayWhere to start: South Finegold picnic area at the terminus of Sky Harbour Road ... 5-mile loopWhere to start: San Joaquin River Gorge Management Area, west of Auberry. (Fresno Bee -- Sports)
Meth awareness show goes on despite artist's suicide Oct 17, 2008
Brooks exhibited his work in the Margaret Hudson Gallery, in Fresno City Hall, at the Chris Sorensen Studio and at a show put on by the San Joaquin River Parkway and Conservation Trust. Brooks recently had been painting works to show in Sorensen's Nudes in November show, said Fresno artist Bill Bruce. (Fresno Bee -- Local)
Lodi rowers forming a watertight bond Oct 16, 2008
Then they sit in a 35-foot-long, skinny white boat and row and the two look identical as they sweep their oars in and out of the glassy waters of the San Joaquin River near Buckley Cove. It was rowing that brought the two together, despite the fact they lived on opposite sides of the globe. (Lodi News Sentinel, CA)
Bailout stirs talk of revolt in GOP Oct 13, 2008
Cloud, however, is not only upset by Radanovich's bailout vote, but also for his continued support of the San Joaquin River restoration bill. The bill would approve channel improvements and other work needed to return salmon to the river. (Fresno Bee -- Local)
Park's cage fighting reignites old rumble Oct 10, 2008
-- when someone has sought to alter the landscape of the park above the San Joaquin River. And, for a long time, we had Lewis S. Eaton, a former trustee of the estate, to advise us about the goals and intentions of Woodward's gift. (Fresno Bee -- Local)
Widow sues Modesto club in skeet shooting death Oct 10, 2008
The club, at 10800 Maze Blvd., about nine miles west of Modesto on the San Joaquin River, was established in 1920 and has about 800 members. All are men. (Modesto Bee, CA)
Area of Fossett's crash a wilderness paradise Oct 3, 2008
Directly ahead, the land plunges 3,500 feet to the headwaters of the San Joaquin River ... That provides access to the front-country of the eastern Sierra, including Devils Postpile, the Upper San Joaquin River, Reds Meadow and several lakes. (San Francisco Chronicle -- Sports)
Executive Suites at River Bluff rents small-office space with amenities Oct 3, 2008
On the top floor of a building overlooking the San Joaquin River is an example of the latest rage in office design ... Developer Russell G. Smith dedicated a floor in a new office building on Palm Avenue at the San Joaquin River because customers wanted it. (Fresno Bee -- Business)
SOMEONE YOU SHOULD KNOW: Dick and Vickie Haas Oct 3, 2008
Dick and Vickie Haas are active in the community, including working with the San Joaquin River Parkway ... They are active volunteers for the San Joaquin River Parkway and Conservation Trust. (Fresno Bee -- Lifestyle)
Backyard Getaway Sep 25, 2008
Armbrister has a soft spot for the San Joaquin River, an unusual choice given its reputation for being shallow and hard to access ... "Sycamore Island Ranch isn't exactly a secret. Decades before the San Joaquin River Conservancy purchased the 347-acre property in 2005 for $6.6 million, its previous owners allowed weekend fishing and camping.Except for the camping part, much the same is true today.The ranch operates through a public/private partnership between the conservancy and Falcontail... (Fresno Bee -- Sports)
Madera project gets go-ahead Sep 25, 2008
The Tesoro Viejo project -- in which McCaffrey will partner with two other Fresno builders, Gary McDonald and Lyles Diversified -- is expected to bring about 5,000 homes along with offices and stores to what is now mostly rolling pasture north of the San Joaquin River ... Others commenting raised concerns about the project's water supply and the presence of Native American remains and other archaeological sites, mainly in the San Joaquin River bottom. (Fresno Bee -- Local)
Regional Roundup Sep 25, 2008
STOCKTON A sportfishing group has filed a lawsuit to stop Stockton from releasing untreated sewage into the San Joaquin River that feeds the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. A spokesman for the California Sportfishing Protection Alliance said Stockton has caused 1,530 sewage spills over the past five years, a violation of its state discharge permit. (Lodi News Sentinel, CA)
River restoration runs into economic realities Sep 19, 2008
San Joaquin River restoration must recognize the economic realities that have emerged over the past 20 years. Water is as much a component of production to agriculture as steel is to the automobile industry. (Fresno Bee -- Opinion)
A drought en route? Sep 17, 2008
The Sacramento and San Joaquin river systems will have a two-year stream flow in the lowest 10 percent of historical record. The western United States had a 50-year drought in the mid-1500s and separate droughts lasting 140 and 200 years between 900 and 1400 A.D.. (Lodi News Sentinel, CA)
Water facts and fiction Sep 17, 2008
So much salt drains into the San Joaquin River from lands served by the Westlands Water District that there is a special monitoring station at Vernalis just to keep track of how bad the daily load of salt gets. A third major export contractor is the Metropolitan Water District in Southern California. (Lodi News Sentinel, CA)
Inclusion in public lands bill is good for river restoration Sep 14, 2008
09/14/08 00:00:00 The restoration of the San Joaquin River moved a step closer last week, when a Senate committee approved a version of a public-lands bill that includes the ambitious plan. We hope that we're finally close to seeing a resolution of the decades-old fight over restoration. (Fresno Bee)
Smelt again at center of water conflict Sep 12, 2008
That's because some Sacramento River users say that if there's no federal contract, they should be able to reassert their longtime state water rights -- a claim that could devastate the Westlands Water District and even hurt the Friant Water Users Authority and other San Joaquin River water users ... Among them are the San Joaquin River Exchange Contractors Authority, which represents owners of 240,000 farmland acres in Fresno, Madera, Merced and Stanislaus counties on the San Joaquin Valley's... (Fresno Bee -- Local)
Krebs Wilderness site hangs in the balance Sep 11, 2008
A key Senate committee today is expected to approve a massive public-lands bill packed with more than 90 provisions, including some to restore the San Joaquin River, recharge Madera County ground water and study the San Joaquin Valley's water future. The 700-plus-page package is the last, best chance for any public-lands bill to succeed this year. (Fresno Bee -- Local)
River bill may roll to passage Sep 7, 2008
WASHINGTON -- The ambitious plan to restore the San Joaquin River has been folded into a huge public-lands bill with national scope, but even that might not be enough to help it win passage ... One would restore water flows and salmon runs in the San Joaquin River below Friant Dam ... Some of the same environmental activists who backed the 1992 law are now supporting the San Joaquin River restoration effort. (Fresno Bee -- Local)
Self-taught engineer had 46-year Big Creek career Sep 6, 2008
Mr. Wait graduated from high school in 1929 as the Great Depression began, and heard that he might find work on an unprecedented hydroelectric project in the Sierra on the San Joaquin River at Big Creek. He gave it a shot. (Fresno Bee -- Local)
Valley told to guard against West Nile Aug 30, 2008
Infected mosquitoes have been detected recently near the San Joaquin River, along Highway 132, and in the Denair and Hughson areas. "Our mosquito populations are building up like they usually do in the fall," Davis said. (Modesto Bee, CA)
Parra gets local kudos for water decision Aug 24, 2008
A key element of such a bond would likely be more above ground storage, such as the proposed reservoir upstream of Millerton Lake at Temperance Flat on the San Joaquin River. Parra kept her promise Aug. 17 amid intense pressure, and she paid the price. (Hanford Sentinal, CA)
DAVID ZOLDOSKE: Delta Vision affects water we need daily Aug 21, 2008
A key to addressing California's major water issues is to understand the state's primary system for water use and distribution -- the Sacramento/San Joaquin River Delta ... The San Joaquin River system provides a modest, but important source of water to the Delta ... Second, water is traded through historic exchange agreements that have moved water rights from lands along the San Joaquin River to farmers and cities along the east side of Highway 99 from Madera to Bakersfield. (Fresno Bee -- Opinion)
Rio Mesa development gets approval Aug 21, 2008
But Kesterson's plans are drawing opposition for possible effects on the endangered California tiger salamander and other rare species, and for their potential to increase use of the Millerton Lake State Recreation Area and the San Joaquin River Parkway. Dave Koehler, the parkway trust's executive director, said that the salamander had been found on adjacent trust-controlled land, but that no survey had been done on the Kesterson land. (Fresno Bee -- Local)
River to be stocked with trophy trout Aug 15, 2008
About 3,000 pounds of trophy-sized rainbow trout will be planted in the San Joaquin River below Friant Dam beginning Wednesday, officials said. The trout average between 3 and 6 pounds apiece, San Joaquin Hatchery manager Greg Paape said. (Fresno Bee -- Sports)
In brief: Buchanan 10s lose at Ripken World Series Aug 14, 2008
River to be stocked with trophy troutAbout 3,000 pounds of trophy-sized rainbow trout will be planted in the San Joaquin River below Friant Dam beginning Wednesday, officials said. The trout average between 3 and 6 pounds apiece, San Joaquin Hatchery manager Greg Paape said. (Fresno Bee -- Sports)
Neighbors feel 'blindsided' over project on San Joaquin River Aug 14, 2008
Angry San Joaquin River supporters and property owners say they were left out of a Bureau of Reclamation project they fear will hurt recreation and wildlife along the river. "I think they sort of blindsided us," said Robert Brewer of the San Joaquin River Property Owners Association ... Dave Koehler, executive director of the San Joaquin River Parkway, said his organization was left out of the decision-making process. (Fresno Bee -- Local)
A strong economy boosts all residents Aug 14, 2008
The crisis isn't a judge ordering water into the San Joaquin River again. The real fight doesn't pit people against fish. (Fresno Bee -- Local)
CHECKING A PRECIOUS RESOURCE Aug 4, 2008
So much water gushed into Millerton Lake so quickly that reservoir managers had to release floodwaters from Friant Dam, and much of it flowed down the San Joaquin River to the ocean, McFarland said. Farmers and water managers believe new reservoirs should be built to help capture high runoffs and store them for dry years, McFarland said. (Fresno Bee -- Local)
Harvest news, rotten potato feud mark August 1905 in Lodi Aug 2, 2008
But the oddest news of the month had to be the escalating feud between two neighbors on Delta farmland along the San Joaquin River 12 miles west of Stockton. It all began when A. R. Allen, who rented the large track of Delta land from a San Francisco-based man, sublet a parcel to August Dupzyk, a German from North Dakota who had just settled here with his wife and 12 children. (Lodi News Sentinel, CA)
A river runs through it Jul 27, 2008
Nationally acclaimed fiber-arts artist Jean Ray Laury created five 9-foot-long banners for the new San Joaquin River Parkway and Conservation Trust headquarters ... Without a doubt, the upcoming new headquarters for the San Joaquin River Parkway and Conservation Trust will be a visually pleasing fit with the 1890s-era Coke Hallowell Center for River Studies, which stands just a stone's throw away. (Fresno Bee)
Water crisis to get a hearing Jul 19, 2008
Witnesses, for instance, will champion the need for additional water storage projects like the controversial proposal for a Temperance Flat dam on the Upper San Joaquin River ... Feinstein, for instance, first introduced in December 2006 an ambitious San Joaquin River restoration bill that still awaits House and Senate action. (Fresno Bee -- Business)
5 Bodies Found; 2 More Feared Dead In Canal Crash Jul 16, 2008
The 117-mile canal runs parallel to the California Aqueduct and ends at Mendota Pool on the San Joaquin River. Copyright 2008 by. (KSBW 8, CA)
Man, 71, dies after shooting at sports club Jul 14, 2008
The club, at 10800 Maze Blvd., is about nine miles west of Modesto on the San Joaquin River. A group of club members met Sunday to go skeet shooting, said Lt. Mario Cisneros of the Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department. (Modesto Bee, CA)
Polluted water politics leaves state up a creek Jul 13, 2008
They call those who want to restore the San Joaquin River environmental wackos, and don't think losing a species or two has any great consequence. No wonder the Legislature fails each year to find solutions to our water crisis. (Fresno Bee -- Opinion)
Save money on water storage with Tulare Lake Jul 13, 2008
I know you're paying attention to San Joaquin River restoration plans and calls by farmers to recirculate water instead of letting it flow to the Pacific Ocean. Guess what. (Fresno Bee -- Local)
West Nile puts a second Stanislaus County victim in hospital Jul 4, 2008
(For Stanislaus County residents living north of the Tuolumne River and east of the San Joaquin River). Turlock Mosquito Abatement District, 634-8331 or 634-1234. (Modesto Bee, CA)
New fire discovered in Sierra National Forest Jul 2, 2008
Dubbed the Fuller fire, it was a "sleeper" that had apparently smoldered in the remote area of the San Joaquin River drainage since the June 22 lightning storms. It flared up Monday afternoon. (Fresno Bee -- Local)
Fire chars West Side wildlife refuge Jun 25, 2008
GRAYSON -- A suspicious fire that started Tuesday afternoon left about 800 acres of grassland west of the San Joaquin River charred and smoldering, authorities said. The fire jumped the river in the late afternoon, requiring local firefighters to attack flames that burned an additional 100 acres east of the river. (Modesto Bee, CA)
Canoe strokes Jun 20, 2008
It's a public art project from the San Joaquin River Parkway and Conservation Trust as part of its 20th anniversary celebration. David Koehler, the organization's executive director, says the response so far "has been terrific." "The creative element that the artists bring to it, the images on the canoes and the symbolism of the canoes to the community's vital river has really been heartening and impressive to see," Koehler says. (Fresno Bee)
West Nile Virus Found in Fresno County Jun 17, 2008
The Department of Public Health recently collected mosquitoes from the San Joaquin River area and the Mendota Wildlife Refuge and both tests came back positive for the West Nile virus. Health officials said no one is safe from the infection and you'd be surprised where it lingers. (KMPH Fox 26)
Oakland man drowns in San Joaquin River Jun 17, 2008
Authorities have released the name of an Oakland man who drowned while swimming in the San Joaquin River. The San Joaquin County Coroner's Office says 26-year-old Sothy Meas drowned late Sunday afternoon as he tried to swim across the river with friends near the community of Mossdale. (Fresno Bee -- State)
The Forest at Granite Park; pizza pipe organ Jun 16, 2008
Trolley service began in Fresno in 1887 and when it ended in 1939, trolley lines ran from downtown to the San Joaquin River, from Roeding Park to Clovis Avenue. A Fresno Traction Co. route map does not show a trolley line on Calaveras Street. (Fresno Bee -- Local)
West Side awaits water Jun 14, 2008
Other West Side districts are in somewhat better shape because of their rights to tap the San Joaquin River, as well as their access to ground- water. To the east, the Modesto, Turlock and Oakdale irrigation districts have even more control over their fates, thanks to strong rights to the Tuolumne and Stanislaus rivers. (Modesto Bee, CA)
Volunteers make river cleanup project work Jun 11, 2008
This year, River Tree Volunteers partnered with the Fresno Flat Water Canoe and Kayak Club to help clean 18 miles of the San Joaquin River (Lost Lake to River Bottom Park and an area below Highway 99 bridge). The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation provided a 39-cubic-yard garbage bin for tires, the San Joaquin River Conservancy provided a 30-cubic-yard garbage bin for trash. (Fresno Bee -- Opinion)
Vegetation fires destroy two homes Jun 11, 2008
The wind threatened for a time to lift hot embers across the San Joaquin River where they could have threatened neighborhoods in north Fresno and Clovis. Fire crews were standing by on the Fresno side of the river, "just for possibilities," Guillemin said. (Fresno Bee -- Local)
Valley's Nunes cites many reasons to oppose earmarks Jun 9, 2008
He opposed a San Joaquin River restoration plan backed by many other California lawmakers. Fighting earmarks when nearly everyone else embraces them is consistent with his overall political approach. (Fresno Bee -- Local)
Inside the Obama-Clinton meeting: water and laughter Jun 7, 2008
For instance, she pushed environmentalists and San Joaquin Valley farmers to negotiate through their differences over how to restore water flows and the salmon population to the San Joaquin River below Friant Dam. The protracted negotiations resulted in legislation that Feinstein and her House counterparts now hope to move through Congress. (Anchorage Daily News)
Governor declares state is in a drought Jun 6, 2008
Though the Governor's order specifically mentioned areas in the Sacramento and San Joaquin River basins, as well as Southern California, as being particularly hard hit, local water district officials said today they would use the opportunity to remind Bay Area residents of the importance of conserving water. "We really need people to take our request to cut back on water use seriously, so we don't have to have that rationing," said Tony Winnicker, spokesman for the San Francisco Public Utilities... (Palo Alto Online, CA)
