World of Change: Water Level in Lake Powell

The 21st century has not been kind to the water levels in Lake Powell.

This series of images, taken by NASA’s Landsat satellites from 1999 to 2015, document the change.

LINK (via: Gizmodo)

Meanwhile further downstream.

Lake Mead is just six inces from the level that triggers cutbacks in deliveries for the three lower basin states – Arizona, Nevada and California.

LINK (via:High Country News)

California drought leads to 'massive effort' to transport hatchery salmon

Wipe out the habitat and wild fish, give all the water to agricultural interests, grow new fish in hatcheries, truck hatchery fish to ocean. The Aristocrats.

What do you do when you have 30 million young salmon ready for their big journeys downstream, but drought and development have dried your riverbeds to sauna rocks?

LINK (via: Oregon Live)

Irrigators are no friend of endangered fish.

Should California Spend 4 Billion Gallons to Save a Few Fish?

In the the heart of California’s drought-parched Central Valley, fruit and vegetable supplier to the nation, a water district is defying a federal order to give some endangered trout a 3.9 billion gallon water ride out to sea. And it could be the first skirmish in a much wider conflict.

LINK (via: Wired)

Come Sail Away

The newest addtion to the Seabreacher family.  Can someone say seal control?

California drought threatens coho salmon with extinction

The lack of rain this winter could eventually be disastrous for thirsty California, but the drought may have already ravaged some of the most storied salmon runs on the West Coast.

LINK (via:SF Gate)

California may have hit its driest point in 500 years.

IGWTFA

Now I'm assuming the IGFA gave Louisiana Senator David Vitter and Florida US Representative David Miller a 2013 Conservation Award based on their sponsorship of the Billfish Conservation Act? Unfortunately Vitter and Miller's entire record when it comes to important environmental issues is pathetic and detrimental to fish and fisheries.

Vitter is a vocal proponent of the Pebble Mine, Keystone XL, and has consistently voted against clean air and water. According to the League of Conservation Voters, Vitter's lifetime score of voting for the environment is a paltry 4%.

Miller scores slightly better with a lifetime score of 9% but he has also cast numerous votes to the detriment of environmental issues that directly impact fish and habitat.

After hitting their respective links you can filter their voting records by specific issues, sorting by "water" will show you how extreme these two are when it comes to not protecting the environment. Miller even voted to block the EPA from implementing new water quality standards to prevent toxic green slime from polluting his home state of Florida's lakes, rivers, and streams.

Given their respective records it's an insult to the true champions of conservation that the IGFA gave an award to these clowns.