The News Review:

- Tampa Bay Water region returns to Phase III water restrictions
- Taiwanese Village Blames Water Project for Typhoon Disaster
- S. Idaho judge to decide on water curtailment
- Calif. Adds ‘Delta Tunnel’ to List of Possible Water Supply Solutions
- Drinking water water quality among EPA fellowships
- Concise vision needed for water
- Water Compromise Elusive in Calif. Debate ver ‘Broken’ Ecosystem

Tampa Bay Water region returns to Phase III water restrictions
Citrus Daily – Local Citrus County News
The modified Phase III restrictions apply to everyone in Hillsborough Pasco and Pinellas counties. The Phase III restrictions in the Tampa Bay and Peace River Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority regions will remain in place until Sept. The District identifies four possible levels of water shortage beginning with ?moderate? and increasing in intensity through ?severe? ?extreme? and ?critical. ?With most river flows in the normal range; but lake levels remaining below normal the region?s water shortage status currently ranges from ?extreme? to ?severe. ? The District?s color-coded Water Shortage Alert Map (attached) graphically identifies the status for each county in the District.

Taiwanese Village Blames Water Project for Typhoon Disaster
Circle of Blue WaterNews
Therefore we’ve good reason to believe that is to blame. ?Carrying the legacy of the previous administration the project?s future has strong political overtones for the current government that took office in May 2008 after the construction work had already started. The controversy is also growing as Taiwan?s Water Resources Agency said that the $646 million water project cannot be blamed for the deadly mudslides. “The allegation that the project is responsible for the huge loss of hundreds of lives is too much for us” said Chen Shen-hsien the head of the agency. He added that the project was 11 kilometers away from Hsiaolin. Meanwhile around the world the number of massive water transfer projects is predicted to triple by 2020 according to an international study published this month by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). The report raised concerns that most large projects of this kind do not receive adequate assessment about potential economic environmental and social impacts.

S. Idaho judge to decide on water curtailment
Ag Weekly
Clear Springs Foods contends pumping from the aquifer has reduced surface water flows taking away from its senior water rights. Idaho law distributes water rights on a first-come first-served basis and Clear Springs Foods has older water rights than the groundwater pumpers. The Idaho Department of Water Resources agreed with Clear Springs Foods and imposed a water curtailment on groundwater pumpers that affects more than 4000 acres and about 150 junior groundwater rights in four counties. Melanson denied a request for the temporary stay from groundwater pumpers earlier this month in part because such a ruling could cause irreparable harm to Clear Springs Foods. But he also scheduled Friday’s hearing to listen to arguments on a permanent stay. At the hearing Melanson asked what kind of damage was being caused by the lack of water to the two sides. Idaho Deputy Attorney General Phil Rassier representing the Department of Water Resources said most of the groundwater pumpers are complying with the curtailment order.

Calif. Adds ‘Delta Tunnel’ to List of Possible Water Supply Solutions
New York Times
The idea to build a tunnel sprang from a handful of public workshops the department held recently on how to approach California’s long-running fight over water rights in the northern part of the state. A tunnel she said could theoretically offer a way out of the vexing maze of water supply endangered species and farming issues facing the state. “We had a lot of comments that said ‘Why don’t you go under?’” Engstrom said. “So we thought we would take a look.

Drinking water water quality among EPA fellowships
Water Technology nline
According to EPA applications will be considered for interests in and investigations on the science of drinking water quality. Proposals in this topic focus on protecting drinking water sources producing and distributing safe drinking water managing health risks associated with exposure to waterborne contaminants and promoting the safety and sustainability of water resources and water infrastructure. EPA says applications also will be considered for interests in and investigations on the science of water quality. Proposals in this topic focus on assessing protecting and restoring surface and groundwater quality aquatic ecosystems watershed management and source control management. Applicants to the water quality topic area must choose one of the subtopics: hydrogeology and surface water (focusing on pollution) or coastal and estuarine processes (focusing on pollution).
Related from Z1067fm: Texas beaches improve in water quality survey

Concise vision needed for water
Arizona Republic
I’ve recently added a graphic of a water glass that might either be half-full or half-empty. Contributing to the impression it is half-full are the many positive aspects to our water-management framework in Arizona particularly our groundwater management in the Active Management Areas. Notable achievements half-filling the glass include our assured and adequate water-supply program our water-recharge and -banking programs and our reliance on local groups to consider drought and watershed-based water supply-and-quality matters. I am concerned however about our lack of a comprehensive vision a deficiency that reflects both lack of a mandate for a statewide water plan and the limited resources to support coordinated water-planning efforts. Not only is the state’s Colorado River water allotment almost fully allocated but the infrastructure required to deliver water that might be secured could be very costly. Predictions that the Southwest will become drier and warmer have raised many questions particularly about Colorado River flow assumptions.

Water Compromise Elusive in Calif. Debate ver ‘Broken’ Ecosystem
New York Times
Whether an environmentalist commercial fisher farmer bureaucrat academic or politician – all of whom were invited yesterday to a major hearing in the state Legislature – all seemed to agree that the delta had fallen apart. “Anyone who believes the status quo is working doesn’t understand what’s going on” said Lester Snow director of the state Department of Water Resources. “The system is broken. “”The delta has gone to hell in a handbasket” added Sen.