Public to give input on scope of major waterway study
March 25, 2008
SAN FRANCISCO– Contra Costa and Solano County citizens will have input on the scope of the feasibility study on deepening the San Francisco Bay to Port of Stockton navigation route Wednesday, March 26 at 5 p.m. at the Contra Costa County Administration Building, in Martinez.
This public meeting is part of the San Francisco Bay to Stockton Navigation Improvement Study performed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers with the Port of Stockton and Contra Costa County. The purpose of the study is potentially to recommend one or
March 7, 2008
SAN FRANCISCO – As directed by the Sonoma County Water Agency (SCWA), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will raise Lake Mendocino’s water level approximately 12 feet between now and May 10, 2008.
“Raising the lake’s level in springtime is a prudent measure, an insurance policy, to meet the county’s summer needs for drinking water and farm irrigation – and to allow the salmon migration up the Russian River,” said Mike Dillabough, the Corps chief of operations and readiness for the San Francisco District.
SCWA’s decision to request raising Lake Mendocino’s level takes into account the decreasing spring rain over the past several years. In 2007, Lake Mendocino was nearly dried out.
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February 4, 2008
Washington D.C. - The President’s Budget for fiscal year 2009 (FY09) transmitted to Congress today includes $4.741 billion in new federal funding for the annual Civil Works program of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and an additional $5.761 billion in an emergency request for a total request of $10.502 billion.
Mr. John Paul Woodley, Jr., Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, said, "This year’s civil works budget provides critical funding for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to continue to contribute to the nation’s economic and environmental well being.
“The budget funds the planning, design and construction of projects for the three main water resources mission areas of the Corps, which are commercial navigation, flood and coastal storm damage reduction, and aquatic ecosystem restoration, and gives priority to those projects that will provide the highest returns on the nation’s investment,” Woodley continued.
Major Bay Area economic and environmental union Feb. 1
Jan. 31, 2008
SAN FRANCISCO-On Feb. 1 a major milestone will mark the union of one of the busiest ports in the nation with the restoration of a major Bay Area wetland project using innovative science that is leading the world.
“The Port of Oakland which supports more than $4 billion of maritime economic impact in California will be helping to bring back a vital wetland that provides a sanctuary for endangered species,” said Arijs Rakstins, Chief of Programs and Project Management for the San Francisco District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Jan. 2, 2008
SAN FRANCISCO – With avian death tolls in the thousands and ecological damages still being assessed, it was a relief when swab tests of the San Francisco Bay sediments returned last week with no trace of the 58,000 gallons of oil spilled on Nov. 7.
Though monitors were put on dredges immediately after the oil spill incident to observe for any indications of contamination, the swab tests were necessary to provide a clearer picture of what’s on the bottom of the bay along the path of ongoing dredging being conducted to deepen the Port of Oakland Harbor and restore a wetlands site in the north bay.
“The EPA recommended we sample the area closest to where the oil had been found on the surface shortly after the spill,
Dec. 27, 2007
SAN FRANCISCO – Beginning tomorrow, crews will be swabbing parts of the bottom of San Francisco Bay where dredging occurs to look for obvious contamination as a result of the Cosco Busan oil spill.
Though monitors were put on dredges immediately after the oil spill incident as directed by the Corps of Engineers and DMMO - Dredge Material Management Office - agencies to observe for any indications of contamination, the swab tests will provide a