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Delta Islands Sale to Southern California Company Roils State Water Politics

/in /by /Daily Democrat (Woodland)by By Dale Kasler and Ryan Sabalow

They see the purchase as part of a water grab to send more water to Los Angeles through Gov. Jerry Brown’s $15.5 billion twin tunnels plan, at the expense of fish and wildlife. Either way, some 20,000 acres of island is moving toward a change of ownership that is stirring up waves in California’s water politics.

After months of negotiations, the Metropolitan Water District board authorized its general manager Tuesday to enter into a contract to buy the islands from the privately owned Delta Wetlands Properties. The deal, valued at some $200 million, is expected to wrap up soon.

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Drenched by ‘March Miracle,’ Northern California Reservoirs Inch Toward Capacity

/in /by /The Los Angeles Timesby By Joseph Serna

A series of storms pushed California’s biggest reservoir past its historical average for mid-March this weekend and put the second largest one on track for doing the same by Monday afternoon, officials said.

Together the Lake Shasta and Lake Oroville reservoirs have the capacity to hold more than 8 million acre feet of water and after a wet weekend in Northern California, they were 79% and 70% full, respectively, by Monday morning, according to the state Department of Water Resources.

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Water Wars: Orange County Water District Wants Desalinated Water; Irvine Ranch Doesn’t. Who Will Win?

/in /by /The Orange County Registerby By Aaron Orlowski Mentioned: Carlsbad Desalination Plant

Citing potentially higher costs that would be passed on to customers, Orange County’s largest provider of water to homes and businesses is intensifying its opposition to a key supplier’s plan to buy desalinated water from a proposed $1 billion Huntington Beach plant.

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“Historically Dry” February Could Lead to First-Ever Shortage Declaration at Lake Mead

/in /by /Las Vegas Review-Journalby By Henry Brean

Federal forecasters have downgraded their projections for the Colorado River after an unusually hot, dry February that has increased the likelihood of a first-ever shortage declaration at Lake Mead.

Forecasters are now predicting the arrival of shortage conditions at the nation’s largest man-made reservoir in January 2018. Just a month ago, forecasters expected Lake Mead to narrowly avoid the shortage line for at least the next two years.

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