MOLDY CHUM

Take action to protect BC's coast from oil spills

For 37 years the northern coastal waters of British Columbia have been protected from oil tanker traffic. This ban is now under threat. Plans to build pipelines and a supertanker port in BC to service the Alberta Tar Sands are moving forward with support from the BC and Canadian Governments. LINK

Dogwood Initiative is distributing 200,000 removable decals. These decals can be applied to most smooth surfaces including plastic, glass and metal. Once applied, each decal will help spread the word about oil spills from proposed Tar Sands Tankers on the coast of BC's Great Bear Rainforest. LINK

Bellevue Fly Show

Heading down to FedEx to laminate this sign - then to the Fly Show to help man the Sportsman's Alliance for Alaska booth.  The plan is to oppose all things Pebble.

     

Five Oh Three!

 

Special Film Screening of Redgold and Equilibrium

Friday Feb 13th 8:00 pm

Kick off the Portland Fly Fishing Show weekend with some amazing entertainment Friday evening. Celebrate the bounty of Alaska’s magnificent Bristol Bay, with two amazing films: Red Gold (redgoldfilm.com) and Equilibrium (castawayfilms.com).

What: Film screening
When: Friday Feb. 13th 8:00 pm
Where: Sierra Club 1821 SE Ankeny St Portland 97214
Who: Hosted by Sierra Club and Sportsman’s Alliance for Alaska

Admission: FREE!!!!!
What Else: BEER AND SNACKS!!!

There is no business to be done on a dead planet

Three Dollar Bridge from felt soul on Vimeo.

(Via: Way Upstream)

Felt Soul Media has produced another gem. Check out this 3 minute profile on 1% For the Planet, an alliance of businesses that donate at least 1% of their annual revenues to environmental organizations worldwide. Founded by Yvon Chouinard and Craig Matthews, 1% has grown to over 1000 members since it's launch in 2002 and has donated nearly $42 million to approved environmental non-profits. This particular film highlights the Three Dollar Bridge (Madison River) project that was made possible by 1% funds. The two founding members tell the story.

Music by Neil Halstead & Jack Johnson | Brushfire Records

Hi, I'm Ali Howard and I'm going to try to swim the Skeena

Trailer introducing Ali Howard's historical attempt to swim the entire 610km length of the Skeena river in northwest BC to raise awareness for one of North America's wildest natural landscapes.

Whistler’s Fishy Hydro Power Plan

Upstream, another great site from north of the border, reports on a B.C. hydro project that threatens bull trout habitat.

Whistler Blackcomb has involved themselves in a controversial Run of River Power plan that has the potential to severely disrupt a threatened bull trout population in the Whistler Valley watershed.

LINK 

B.C. Fish Habitat Profoundly Impacted by Shoddy Roads

The Forest Pracrices Board board investigated 1,100 road crossings in 19 watersheds and found that only 42 per cent were designed and built in a way that allow fish to pass through. Even in streams considered "important or critical" fish habitat, more than one in four road crossings blocked fish movement.

In the Campbell-Memekay watershed north of Campbell River, the board found that almost one-third of road crossings of important or critical streams blocked fish migration.

LINK (Via: The Times Colonist)

Suddenly, everyone's being drawn to reinforced vegetation

Here's an interesting ad sent to us by Chum follower known as BrownTroutSniffer.  For those interested in the battle of vegetation reinforced slope and stream restoration vs. rip rap or compacted soil treatments, take a peek into what's happening here.  

Calling all Steelhead bug tiers!

    

Sent to us from John Ruberto at Whiskey Creek Fly Fishing Blog.  April Vokey is looking for your flies, your steelhead flies. This is a fundraiser for the Steelhead Society, for habitat restoration and other projects.  Send your flies to April and she will distribute to several fly shops across BC. Your flies will be purchased by anglers and all of the proceeds going to the Steelhead Society.  If you tie, tie some extras up and send them in. If you are a steeheader, look into your boxes and see what you can donate.  Put those flies in an envelope and send to:

April Vokey
8505 Norman Cres.
Chilliwack, B.C.
Canada
V2P 5C6

The Chum has a few Lewd Contuct (pictured above) strapped to a northbound pigeon. 

Winston and World Trout Team Up

For it's 80th season, R.L. Winston has created a new BIIx 9' 5wt. series with a Prosek print on the rod. They also come with a signed Prosek rainbow trout print. With each purchase Winston will donate $360 to the conservation project of the buyers choice or one designated by Winston and World Trout. Last, and certainly not least, the rods retail for $1800. If you're just a mortal like us, read on. If not, and you're in the market to make a meaningful difference, send an email here and learn more.

Clean Coal: This is Reality

Remember that coal ash pond that ruptured in Tennessee sending billions of gallons of toxic sludge into the local watershed?  Well there are more than 1300 similar dumps across the United States and most are unmonitored and unregulated. LINK (Via: The NY Times)

Dan Bacher's Leaping Steelhead Conservation Awards For 2008

Dan Bacher's Leaping Steelhead Awards go to individuals for their advocacy efforts on behalf of fish and their habitat.

LINK (Via: The Fish Sniffer)

Key mining case coming to Supreme Court

Two stories on a key mining case that will be argued before the Supreme Court on Monday that could have an impact on the future prospects of the Pebble Mine.

In what both sides seem to agree is a pivotal case, the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday will hear oral arguments about whether mining companies should be allowed to dump their waste into lakes.

At issue is an appeal by the backers of the Kensington mine about 45 miles north of Juneau, in some of the continent's more remote country. The mining company Coeur Alaska, an arm of Idaho-based Coeur, appealed the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals' ruling that would not allow the company to put tailings into Little Slate Lake.

LINK (Via: The Seattle PI)

Nation's waterways at stake with Supreme Court -

The future of America's streams, rivers and lakes is on the agenda of U.S. Supreme Court justices this Monday, Jan. 12, when they hear arguments on whether a pristine Alaskan lake may be killed by operators of Kensington gold mine.

Earthjustice will be reporting from the Supreme Court on Monday, Jan. 12, at their blog unearthed.

LINK (Via:Grist)

Movin' to Montana soon... Gonna be a Natural Gas tycoon (yes I am)

The Bush administration has approved a plan that could allow more than 18,000 natural gas wells to be drilled in southeastern Montana over the next two decades. LINK (Via: MSNBC)

It's worked out really well for Wyoming.

Each coalbed methane well produces an average of 20 tons of salt per year.  The quality of discharge water deteriorates substantially as one moves north, west and south of Gilette....

Domestic and stock water wells are drying up or becoming contaminated with gas or other development-related constituents. Over 400 miles of power lines were constructed last year to serve the CBM wells and compressor stations, with over 400 miles projected for construction each year for the next 5 or 6 years.  Compressor stations are often powered by jet engines whose noise shatters the solitude of rural living.  Hundreds of semi-trucks and pickups driving to and from methane sites kick up clouds of dust, resulting in increased respiratory problems for livestock and humans. 

LINK (Via: Powder River Basin Resource Council)

Making a Difference

An NBC Nightly News profile of One Percent for the Planet and co-founders Yvon Chouinard and Craig Matthews.

Feds' Casitas appeal for steelhead has local support

This opinion piece from the Ventura County Star has particular meaning for Patagonia. The Ventura River runs right behind Patagonia HQ and Friends of the Ventura River was one of the first enviro groups to get funding from Patagonia back in 1973.

There used to be a thriving steelhead run on the Ventura River, and there can be again. The question is whether the Casitas Municipal Water District, which has a dam that blocks steelhead migration on the river, is going to keep standing in the way, demanding public dollars in exchange for protecting the public's resources.

LINK

The steelhead run on the Ventura River is estimated to have numbered over 4,000 returning adults prior to the construction of Matilija Dam in 1948. LINK (Via: Ventura River Ecosystem)

Chromer T-Shirt Goodness

Get one over at Chromer Sport Fishing and they'll give $5 of your purchase to the Pacific Salmon Foundation.

LINK

Common Waters of Oregon

Yeah, we live in Washington, but Oregon has our heart.  Which is why we're keep our fingers on the pulse of this.

Please help make the legislators aware of Common Waters of Oregon and let them know we would like to review any bills that involve public river rights.

If you could send a note to Senator Bates and to Senator Atkinson asking them to get any information on river rights bills to us, we would greatly appreciate it.

Departing Bush Admin Gives the One Finger Salute to Endangered Species

To:     George W. Bush
From: Endangered Species

RE: Thanks!

WASHINGTON (AP) — Just six weeks before President-elect Barack Obama takes office, the Bush administration issued revised endangered species regulations Thursday to reduce the input of federal scientists and to block the law from being used to fight global warming.

The changes, which will go into effect in about 30 days, were completed in just four months. But they could take Obama much longer to reverse.

They will eliminate some of the mandatory, independent reviews that government scientists have performed for 35 years on dams, power plants, timber sales and other projects, a step that developers and other federal agencies have blamed for delays and cost increases.

Sincerely, Multiple Endangered Species

PS: Know anything about this fabled Congressional Review Act?

(Via: The Daily Kos)

Changing the rules now just formalizes how the administration has been dealing with endangered species all along. 

A high-ranking Interior Department official tainted nearly every decision made on the protection of endangered species over five years, a new inspector general report finds, concluding she exerted improper political interference on many more rulings than previously thought.

Julie MacDonald, a former deputy assistant secretary overseeing the Fish and Wildlife Service, did pervasive harm to the department's morale and integrity and may have risked the well-being of species with her agenda, Interior Inspector General Earl Devaney said in his report out Monday.

LINK (Via The A.P.)

Six pages of the report deal with MacDonald's influence on limiting Bull Trout habitat designation.
 



You can read the report yourself here. LINK

Tis the season

I thought the mole was sorta sexy.

Skeena Wild

This holiday special is one of the best gifts you can give to someone who cherishes Skeena steelhead. They will receive a Christmas package containing 4 frozen, incredibly tasty, selectively harvested SOCKEYE fillets, along with an information packet detailing how their gift will help rebuild Skeena watershed salmon stocks.  Learn More

NOTE: The marketing team at SkeenaWild slipped on the editing of their graphic - this is an offer for Sockeye fillets, NOT wild metal.

Go Back to Square One, Says Montana Supreme Court to Rock Creek Mine

The Montana Supreme Court handed a victory to those seeking to protect Montana’s waterways and dealt a setback to the proposed Rock Creek Mine near Noxon.

“Absolutely. This is a victory,” said Clark Fork Coalition director Karen Knudsen, about the ruling that voided the Revett Minerals‘ permit to discharge up to 3.3 million gallons of polluted water per day into the Clark Fork River.

LINK (Via:New West)

B of A calls B of S on Mountaintop Removal Coal Mining

Time to take the bankers on aerial tours of other threatened areas.

Bank of America released its revised coal policy, which will have the immediate effect of curtailing commercial lending to companies that mine coal by blowing off the top of mountains.  LINK (Via: NRDC)

B.C. coal mine a threat to bull trout

A proposed open pit mountaintop coal mine threatens endangered bull trout and has drawn criticism from President elect Obama.

U.S. government scientists studying the Flathead River watershed straddling the B.C.-Montana border say they've discovered the prime spawning site for a threatened species of trout - on the Canadian side of the system, and in the very shadow of a proposed mountaintop coal mine that drew fire from U.S. president-elect Barack Obama during his drive to the White House.

LINK (Via:Canada.com)

A controversial Canadian coal mine, proposed high in the headwaters above Glacier National Park, would be built atop the most productive bull trout spawning habitat in the entire river basin.

“That site, immediately below the proposed mine site, is incredibly important bull trout habitat,” said Mark Deleray, a fisheries biologist with the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks.

LINK ( Via: The Missoulian)

Bluefin tuna - magnificent fish too valuable to save

Tucked away out of sight of the eyes of the world in Marrakech this week, the   EU played some of the dirtiest tricks imaginable to outflank a proposal by   the United States to cut catches of bluefin to the upper limit that   scientists said was justifiable, 15,000 tons.

Instead, a greedy mob of countries led by the EU pushed through a proposal to   set quotas at 22,000 tons, 50 per cent higher than scientific advice.  LINK (Via:The Telegraph)

White House, EPA approve changes to mining buffer zone rule

Despite opposition from the Governors of Tennessee and Kentucky, the Bush administration has just given the official green light to mountain top coal mining operations to bury streams with their mine debris.

The White House and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency signed off Tuesday on plans to revoke parts of a key water quality rule that could have been used to limit the burial of streams by mountaintop removal coal mining operations.

Approval by EPA and the White House Office of Management and Budget paved the way for Interior Department officials to finalize industry-backed changes in the 25-year-old stream "buffer zone" rule.

LINK (Via: The Charleston Gazette)

NZ won't quickly rescue hurt whalers, protesters

WELLINGTON, New Zealand – New Zealand will not be able to quickly rescue anyone who gets lost or hurt if clashes erupt between animal rights activists and Japanese whalers off the north Antarctic coast, the foreign minister said Saturday.

                        

The whaling fleet left Japan earlier this month and is expected to focus its hunt for about 1,000 whales in the Ross Sea, where New Zealand is responsible for search-and-rescue missions under international law. Animal rights group Sea Shepherd has vowed to disrupt the hunt.

                        

Last year, a Japanese crewman died in a fire on a ship, an anti-whaling vessel twice collided with a whaling ship, and two protesters spent several hours lost at sea in freezing conditions. New Zealand airlifted a Japanese whaler who fell gravely ill in its territorial waters.

                        

If someone is hurt in a confrontation between whalers and protesters, they will have to depend on other ships in the area for help because New Zealand does not have the capacity to deploy vessels to the Ross Sea in anticipation of trouble, Foreign Minister Murray McCully said.

                        

"New Zealand will not be able to deal quickly with incidents where someone is required to be rescued," McCully said.  LINK

Chuitna coal mine troubles residents on both side of Cook Inlet

According to Cook Inletkeeper Executive Director Bob Shavelson a proposed mine along 12 miles of the pristine Chuitna River in Alaska is more imminent than the Pebble Project 

The 5,000-acre proposed mine site is just a tip of the project's impact in the area. More than 55 square miles of wildlife and fish would be impacted, It would go through 11 miles of salmon spawning streams, a first for Alaska, Shavelson said. The process for getting at the coal involves digging 350 feet and pumping water out, as much as 7 million gallons per a day.

LINK (Via: The Homer Tribune)

The Chuitna River made it onto the 2007 American Rivers list of endangered rivers due to the proposed Chuitna coal project.

LINK (Via: KTUU)

Red Gold DVD-NOW SHIPPING!!!

The Red Gold DVD is in stock and shipping.  This film is nothing less then amazing and EVERY HUMAN NEEDS TO SEE IT.

Order yours today.  LINK

A Film by Felt Soul Media

Photos by:  Felt Soul Media

Chum Happens!!!!!

 

Core Angling: Science and Fly Fishing Combined

Our colleagues Bill Kyn, Jason Lozano, Mike Thomson and Mark Harbaugh had a chance to spend some time fly fishing and conducting bonefish research with Dave Peterson and Andy Danylchuk of Core Angling. Operating in conjunction with the Cape Eleuthra institute, Core Angling offers a unique combination of world class fly fishing and groundbreaking research. LINK  (Via: The Cleanest Line)

Get the "sHELL" out!

THE POWER OF A PHONE CALL Two quick phone calls will help keep oil and gas development out of the Sacred Headwaters. Shell Canada wants to drill for coalbed methane in the Sacred Headwaters (Skeena, Nass & Stikine), but all the amazing work we’ve done together has kept them away for two years.

So now comes the fun part!

On Friday, HUNDREDS of people across BC, Alberta and the US will phone Gordon Campbell and Shell and let them know to keep CBM drilling out of our Sacred Headwaters FOREVER!

Join us! It’s as easy as making two quick phone calls. Just pick up the phone between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Friday, November 21st and follow the instructions below.
With the amount of resistance shown to this development, Gordon Campbell and Shell will be forced to make the right decision.

Thanks for you all your support, and keep up the awesome work!

Two Important Phone Calls

The numbers are listed below – When you get through or reach an answering machine, you can read the following script, or leave your own message:

Hi my name is ________, and I’m calling about Shell’s plan to drill for coalbed methane in BC’s Sacred Headwaters.

I don’t think the oil and gas industry should be able to drill in special places like the Sacred Headwaters, which should be a legacy for all Canadians.

I encourage [Premier Campbell / Mr. Straub] to do the right thing and protect the Sacred Headwaters.

Thank you for passing this message along.

Brian Straub, President of Shell Canada: 403-691-3111
A receptionist will answer your call; ask to speak with Mr. Straub’s assistant.

BC Premier, Gordon Campbell: 250-387-1715
An assistant will likely answer your call.

More ways to help
Sacred Headwaters Online Action Centre HERE

Note:  This was brought to our attention by Shannon McPhail, who is one of only a few standing between Shell and the Sacred Headwaters.  Please spend 5 minutes to make the calls, as it DOES make a difference.

Bush gives a parting gift to Bristol Bay, environmentalists and the incoming administration

The Bush administration continues its 11th hour fire sale of public lands by directing the Bureau of Land Mismanagement to open up one million acres of the Bristol Bay region to oil and gas development. This on top of last minute changes in the Endangered Species Act, new leases bordering national parks and a rule change eliminating one of the few rules regulating mountaintop mining. They are timing the implementation of the new regulations so as to make it extremely difficult for the new administration to roll them back. 

From the Anchorage Daily News:

Despite vigorous opposition, federal officials plan to open roughly 1 million acres near some of Alaska's richest salmon streams to mineral exploration and oil and gas leasing.

Large blocks of land in Southwest Alaska would be opened to development -- for the first time in more than 35 years -- in the same two river drainages as Pebble, the giant copper and gold prospect.

One of the drainages is the Kvichak River, which has the largest sockeye salmon run in the world. The other is the Nushagak River, the state's second-largest king salmon producer.

LINK

Apache trout make comeback

The Apache trout has not only become the first North American fish to make it off the endangered species list, it has become a major draw for fishermen nationwide.

The effort now stands as a national model — and offers a blueprint for the planned reintroduction of another native trout — the Gila trout.

Via: The Payson Roundup LINK

The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of that species

A recent study reports that nearly 40 percent of freshwater fish species in North America are in trouble.

The study, published by the American Fisheries Society, found that 457 species might already be extinct.

Via: Red Orbit  LINK

Meanwhile the Bonneville cutthroat avoids getting put on the endangered specie list.

Federal officials say they don't need to put the Bonneville cutthroat trout on the endangered or threatened species list, and that pleases Utah members of Trout Unlimited who have worked for decades to bring back the fish once thought extinct.

Via: The Salt Lake Tribune LINK

Son of the Sun

Short film of the salmon ecosystem taken on the west coast of British Columbia by Twyla Roscovich at callingfromthecoast.org

If you missed our prior post, CallingfromtheCoast.com is a video project that aims at deepening our understanding of the ecology of the Pacific Northwest, some of the issues that threaten it, and what you can do to help protect this incredible area. Take a break and watch some more of their videos.

Skeena Fisheries Blog

The Northcoast Steelhead Alliance is using their blog to present up to date information related to fishery management on the Skeena watershed. The picture above is from a post on the impacts of gillnetting on Skeena steelhead.

If you're interested in staying up to date on issues surrounding the Skeena watershed add this site to your RSS reader. LINK

More Pending Oil and Gas Leases

State-owned land in and around Gallatin County could up for oil and gas development — parcels that include the riverbeds of the Yellowstone and Boulder rivers. Via: New West  LINK

The Bush administration is pushing new oil shale regulations that critics say is a prelude to a last minute fire sale of oil shale leases. Via New West  LINK

The Green River Formation in Utah, Wyoming and Colorado has the most oil shale development potential in the United States. The richest concentration of oil shale in Colorado lies in the Piceance Basin, between Meeker, Rifle, Parachute and Grand Junction.  Via: Colorado Confidential  LINK

Meanwhile on the Pinedale Mesa another 3700 wells are being planned for the same area where 700 wells are being blamed for unhealthy ozone levels, declining wildlife populations and contaminated water supplies.

Via: The Jackson Hole News and Guide LINK

Gonna be a mennil-toss flykune

While everyone was celebrating Plum Creek selling off 320,000 acres in Montana to conservation groups they secretly struck a closed door deal to convert hundreds of thousands of acres into possible residential subdivisions. The deal was orchestrated by former timber lobbyist and current head of the US Forest service Mark Rey.

"We have 40 years of Forest Service history that has been reversed in the last three months," said Pat O'Herren, an official in Missoula County, which is threatening to sue the Forest Service for forgoing environmental assessments and other procedures that would have given the public a voice in the matter. 

Via MSNBC LINK

Plum Creek is the largest private land owner in the United States.

Sad saga of Bighorn River trout

Mike Whittington, a retired hydrologist, laments the loss of 80% of the brown trout fry on the Bighorn due to mismanagement of water flows by the Bureau of Reclamation. 

Here's hoping that those half-dozen or so Wyoming water skiers enjoyed their Memorial Day outing, at the expense of a whole year age class of fish in the already impacted Bighorn River fishery.

Via: The Billings Gazette  LINK

Hello energy development and goodbye to the Rio Grande

An editorial by TRCP’s

SW Colorado

field representative, Ross Tuckwiller, that ran in the Denver Post late in May.

How does oil and gas development fit with the Rio Grande? The Bureau of Land Management planned to lease almost 145,000 acres of the Rio Grande National Forest to the energy industry. The decision to lease these public lands was made with no input from citizens or the Colorado Division of Wildlife and was based on outdated planning documents.

In response to a wave of criticism and close to 100 formal protests, the BLM withdrew the Rio Grande acreage from its May sale, although the area could be nominated for future sales.  Via: The Denver Post LINK

But, Mr. Minister, it isn't like this is the first troublesome thing to come out of Canada. Let us not forget Bryan Adams

16 Canadian lakes are slated to be officially but quietly "reclassified" as toxic dump sites for mines. They include prime wilderness fishing lakes from B.C. to Newfoundland. Via: The CBC LINK

Coalition of agencies and individuals creates new life for the San Juan River

An article on a river restoration project written by the guys who operate the heavy equipment.

Via: Associated Construction Publications LINK

A Message for Cermaq

This film from Calling From the Coast is a message for fish farming company Mainstream, a subsidiary of Norwegian multinational company Cermaq. The film was produced to educate Cermaq shareholders about the impacts their company is having on BC tourism, operators fisherman, first nations and the ecosystem.

There are a number of other films worth viewing on the Calling From the Coast site so be sure to hit their link to view some of their excellent work.

Please watch the clips and pass along to everyone you know and thanks to Tim Pask for the links.

Part one of A Message to Cermaq

Part two

Help Keep the Umpqua Wild

Support the existing catch and release regulations that protect non-adipose fin-clipped steelhead throughout the Umpqua system by signing this petition .

Buffet again rebuffs advocates against Klamath dams

American Indian tribes and salmon fisherman were rebuffed a second time Saturday in their bid to win support from billionaire Warren Buffett for a proposal to remove four hydroelectric dams from the Klamath River.

Via: The Times-Standard  LINK

A River Runs Against It - America's Evolving View of Dams

Former Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt writes about creating a balance between the needs of a river and those who use it.

During the New Deal, President Franklin Roosevelt and his Interior Secretary, Harold Ickes, toured the West dedicating dams before large, enthusiastic crowds. Now, at the end of the century, I am out touring the country with a different message - it is time to un-dedicate some of those dams by removing them and letting the rivers run free. For we now have too many of these dams, some 75,000, the equivalent of one every day since Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence. Along the way I am asking questions: Is this dam still serving its purpose? Do the benefits justify the destruction of fish runs and drying up of rivers? Can't we find a better balance between our needs and the needs of the river?

Via: Open Spaces Magazine LINK

The Monte Dolack Resurrection print was commissioned by Idaho Rivers United to show what a free flowing Snake River would look like after breaching the federal dams.

Cutthroat in the Crosshairs

The Quiet Pool has put out a call to action based on news that the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is proposing a coastal cutthroat harvest starting in 2009.

LINK

Federal Judge Tosses California Plan to Export More Delta Water

Federal judge Oliver Wanger today tossed out a controversial water plan that would have allowed more pumping of water from the imperiled California Delta at the expense of five species of protected chinook salmon and steelhead trout.

Via: California Progress Report  LINK

Though the judge's decision might further curb delta exports, a more likely result is operational changes 250 miles to the north at Shasta Dam, experts on both sides said. 

Among the fixes being eyed is construction of the long-debated Peripheral Canal, which would divert water around the delta and onward to Southern California. The proposal has been condemned by environmentalists and others who say it would rob the delta of the water it needs for fish to survive.

Money Quote: This spring's dry weather has already cut state water reserves. The Metropolitan Water District, the state's largest, is calling on residents to step up conservation efforts such as not watering their lawns one day a week.

Via: The LA Times  LINK

As relevant today as when it came out in 1986.

In 1999, Cadillac Desert was placed sixty-first on the Modern Library list of the most notable nonfiction English books of the twentieth century. LINK