Monthly Archives: November 2009

Twenty Percent less bathing for Californians

They’ve done the “nasty” and as the details emerge we’ll find out whose lobby held firm as others quavered.

The California Legislature signed the hotly debated water legislation late yesterday, and while it doesn’t provide for a peripheral canal, it hasn’t ruled one out either.

The creation of an oversight committee for the Delta, which like all oversight – is defined by how much was contributed to the Governor’s war chest – and dominated by political appointees who show only for the Croissants…

— A new seven-member board to oversee the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. The board would consist of gubernatorial and legislative appointees, along with the head of an existing delta commission. The board could approve a controversial peripheral canal to channel water around the delta.

They’ll ensure that a trickle makes it to San Francisco Bay.

Us citizens, we get to pay for the 11 billion dollars of infrastructure – which will be deployed around 2015 – ensuring it costs twice as much due to inflation and the decline of US currency. The Good News is we get to vote on it, which is the bad news too.

The idea of paying for all that infrastructure by charging those that use it was shot down – as was the removal and watering-down of the penalties for illegal diversion.

… and we get to absorb a 20% cut in our freshwater while paying for the privilege – unless you live in San Francisco or Los Angeles, in which case you’re exempt as you never shower. All the rest of us citizens will be required to reduce our water usage 20% below our current levels.

A 20-percent conservation mandate for urban areas, with credits for cities that have made significant conservation efforts. Agricultural entities will have to follow best practices for water use.

… and the best practice for agricultural has been to irrigate desert, remain profitable, and sell what’s left to Las Vegas or Phoenix.

I sound skeptical and I’ve a right to be. Consensus amongst politicians rarely involves the Greater Good, and votes seem to be acquiring a more sinister note, akin to “everyone who got over on the populace raise your hand.” Ensuring each municipality gets their fare share of a diminished resource.

“I believe this measure is so bulked up with pork that it is going to sink under the weight of its own pork when voters are asked to vote on it next year,” said Assemblyman Chuck DeVore, R-Irvine, who voted against the bond.”

If the details live up to the negotiations, I’d say it’ll have no chance whatsoever. A lot of disgruntled folks that resent having to pay for the bank and automobile bailouts – could easily perceive some pork barrel water project as more of the same.

Me, I’ll ferret details and continue to vote out everyone from that shadowy third political party called, “Incumbent.”

Tags: California water wars, 11 billion water infrastructure bill, pork, big agriculture, peripheral canal, personal opinion

California State Parks, weekday closures commence

portapotty Closures to California state parks began yesterday in response to Governor Schwarzenegger’s request that the State Parks & Recreation budget save $14.2 million over the coming winter.

In order to avoid full closure, many parks are closing during the weekdays, which spares the larger populace but may inconvenience steelhead anglers that snuck a Monday or Friday off …

Anglers within California would be advised to keep an eye on the Parks & Recreation department’s web site as the only listing of affected parks appears as a daily news item.

Notices have been posted for selected counties. The Mendocino county notice mentions impacts to the Russian River gulch, Navarro, and Van Damme, parks/watersheds.

The service reductions came about through a process wherein each of the State Parks’ District Superintendents designed a plan for specific reductions tailored for each park within their respective district. The plans included all 279 parks within the statewide system.

A lot of Porta-potty removals, reductions in allowed camping spots, and outright weekday closures, just enough to gum up a weekday pilgrimage for chrome.

Tags: California state park closures, California budget deficit, Russian River, Navarra River, Van Damme, Porta-Potty, steelhead fishing

Like Ed Zern said, “To hell with fishing …”

Finding $87,000 while wandering about the riverbank fishing caused a stir a couple of months ago. In the US that kind of money wears felt soles – and heisting the equivalent in tackle would only take a couple of rolls of duct tape and a couple of unwary, yet well appointed,  fly fishermen …

… but if you want priceless, you’ll roll your eyes over the latest find, a couple cases of Scotch Whiskey left under one of the huts abandoned by Ernest Shackleton, on one of his ill fated Antarctic expeditions.

Two cases of Shackleton's Private Reserve

Polar explorers of that era relied on their alcohol of choice to help them and their crews through the long Antarctic nights and insomnia-inducing days. And Shackleton knew a thing or two about being well prepared for an adventure. On a later trip to the continent he kept all 28 members of his crew alive during 15 harrowing months after their ship got marooned in and then slowly devoured by ice. So it’s no surprise that he brought 25 crates of Scotch with him when he set off on an expedition to the South Pole in 1907.

Left undiscovered in the ice for over 100 years – found in 2006 by curators, who are about to drill the crates loose from their icy tomb.

While Christie’s, Sotheby’s, or EBay come to mind – you’ll have to drink it all in Antartica:

An international treaty dictates that the crates, and any intact bottles that are inside, remain in Antarctica unless they need to be taken off the continent for conservation reasons.

… which really shouldn’t be much problem, considering. Just shake the ice cubes out of your mustache if you need to freshen that glass a wee bit.

Tags: Ernest Shackleton, Scotch Whisky, ebay, scotch on the rocks, literally

We mourn our creek by testing the mettle of what our water grew

Sure I’m bitter and resentful but as a lay scientist I thought I’d find out first hand which is higher in my esteem, cheap produce or inedible fish.

If we measure just the carbon footprint, fish win. But as half of the populace disagrees with it being an issue, and despite my frantic attempts at dodging semi’s loaded with bell peppers and tomatoes, it’s a poor measure of inherent value.

I needed a common metric that was unimpeachable, some simplistic test that would be readily apparent to the casual onlooker, yet was based solely on the respective merits of the two species.

At ease in the current

Bell Peppers aren’t bad on pizza or a good hearty stew, and assuming the flatulence they cause is due to potential energy stored within its fibrous core, would that translate into a horrific struggle when they feel the sting of steel, or would it be like most produce – requiring farm machinery and a good waxing before showing signs of life?

The biggest Capsicum like an "ass down, stem up" sunny lie

Capsicum don’t range far for food, but don’t spook much either. They take surface flies extremely well as most of their food is delivered aerially – by both plane and tractor. Patience, coupled with their cunning predatory instincts allows them to remain motionless and invisible – despite the noise and commotion of nearby farm equipment.

The Pepper Cast, Right at 'em I caught this gaggle of “Red’s” growing flaccid in the sunlight – approaching them directly and casting right at the alpha bell itself …

As I’d never landed a bell pepper in full mating plumage, I wasn’t sure what to expect.

They’re bulky and muscular and retain their texture despite frying, boiling, or baking, so I was hoping they’d give a reasonable account of themselves – some small payback for extincting the fish in my creek.

I felt a brief jolt when I stripped the fly through the pack and set hook tentatively, unsure whether to get the reel handle clear of the vest or whether to duck to avoid incoming angered Capsicum. The lead pepper was clearly startled by the hook – and came out of the rye grass like an avenging angel …

The Great Waldo Pepper, hisself

Airborne and headed away in a hurry, and I’m frantically “bowing” to the beast each time it clears the fescue.

It stem-walked towards a couple of fir trees, and I’m leaning into the butt section trying to steer opposite – thankful that I’d rigged an 0X tippet.

It was plain this wasn’t merely a red pepper, it was likely a “Waldo” Pepper – known for aerial hyjinks and often sport a similar coloration when drinking heavily or during harvest months…

I start gaining line back, I may land it

The leader knot is getting close and I entertain visions of landing this brute. I’d tucked a plain brown double-bagger into my vest hoping sight of a familiar shopping bag with its welcoming Halloween colors and festive label would serve me better than the expected violence once “Waldo” spied the unfamiliar net.

The hero shot, with upchuck

Like the Roma tomato I fought earlier, aerial antics appear to jostle the delicate internal organs of Capsicum Annum as well. It’s unfortunate, despite the heroics shown early in the fight, these internal injuries tend to take the starch out of the quarry if the battle is prolonged.

Any chance of “Catch and Release” will require a firm authoritative hand on the rod in order to keep the fight decisive and short.

As the rest of the bushel was alert to my presence, I faded back onto the patio and let them “cool” a little.

In summary, a tenacious yet fragile foe. A bit of Smallmouth bass mixed with the aerial grace of a deflated football, try not to get any on you …

They’re not a complete replacement for my beloved Salmon, Pikeminnow, Carp, and all the other tainted inhabitants of the local waters … but if I was “hope to die” desperate and needed to get bit, they’d be right up there with rabid dogs and hookers.

Tags: Capsicum Annum, red bell pepper, angling for vegetables, catch and release, fly fishing humor, tippet, rabid dogs, hookers