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Coordination between reservoir operators and flood-control officials

Coordination eases flooding problems

A delicate dance involving huge volumes of water has minimized flooding caused by heavy early-spring rains. Reservoir operators and flood-control officials have coordinated their work closely, to keep river flows below flood stage. Reservoir operators have sent higher flows down river before storms, and then greatly reduced flows while it rained. Farmland that often floods during high water flows has been the only ground affected thus far.

Break in storms benefits berry harvest

Two days of dry weather and warmer temperatures have allowed strawberry harvest to resume in Ventura County. Farmers and their crews are scrambling to meet contracts to provide fresh fruit to retail and wholesale outlets. Wet weather put the strawberry harvest somewhat behind schedule. In the long term, growers say, the rain will help the plants produce more berries, even though storms ruined some ripe fruit.

Rule encourages ranchers to aid frogs

Recognizing that cattle ranching benefits protected frogs, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issued new rules yesterday (Thursday) that encourage ranchers to aid the California red-legged frog. The service says its rules make it easier for ranchers to maintain man-made stock ponds, where the frogs often breed. The rule says that "sensible ranching operations" are compatible with restoring frog populations.

Natural fungus may fight hydrilla

A natural enemy may be harnessed to fight hydrilla, a noxious waterweed that clogs some California rivers and streams. Dense mats of hydrilla can block water systems, hurt habitat and cause other problems ... and the weed has developed resistance to some of the methods used to fight it. Now, agricultural researchers have found a natural fungus that kills the weed. They're working to put it in a form that works as a biological herbicide.

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