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TABLE OF CONTENTS
FALL ISSUE / 1997
After the Deluge
A subtropical "Pineapple Express" brought more rain and snow during late December and early January than any other similar period in this century. Dozens of levees failed, eight people died, and more than 100,000 left temporarily homeless. Property damage totaled $2 billion. Governor Wilson establishes the Flood Emergency Action Team to respond to immediate problems and recommend future actions.
Good Neighbor to the East
While California is water-rich, its neighbor, Nevada, is water-poor. Interstate water conflicts over Lake Tahoe began in 1865 and still continues. One man who has been actively involved in the fray is Roland Westergard, formerly the head of Nevada's Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. In a personal interview, he talks about his experience and his beliefs on what it takes to find solutions for Nevada's water problems.
Flood It and They Will Come
Delta islands are slowly disappearing. Subsidence is turning the islands' rich peat soils into gaseous vapors. But a unique experiment may slow the process by recreating nature. In large ponds, water levels and nutrients are controlled to encourage plant growth, and as plants die, new growth is generated to add another layer, eventually creating peat. If successful, the research may help protect the Delta from a disaster that could threaten California's water supply.
Charting new Courses
Reorganizations, though at first unsettling, can mean strengthening the work of various DWR divisions: Design and Construction, Planning, and Local Assistance. Questions were posed to those in charge of the reorganization and what they feel it will mean for the Department.
A Case of Mistaken Identity
Four runs of chinook salmon look alike as juveniles. Telling them apart is vital to the operations of the State Water Project. DWR is hoping that deoxyribonucleic acid, DNA, will soon crack this trying case so project operations can be modified to benefit the endangered winter-run chinook.
Backpage: DWR's Newest Powerhouse
Near the city of San Bernardino, the Mojave Siphon Powerplant officially goes online. It is the only power plant to receive water that is not directly from a surface source and is installed in a siphon.
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