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Creating New Sources of Water

Since agriculture in our region depends largely on imported water, I have long supported initiatives to increase local supplies, including the use of recycled water. As many of you know, while a member of the Escondido City Council, I was an early supporter of a plan to use treated wastewater to irrigate citrus and avocado groves on the city’s outskirts.

This year I introduced Assembly Bill 2438 to help speed construction of recycled water pipelines along existing rights-of-way by streamlining costly, time consuming regulations that have delayed or prevented these projects statewide.

OPINION: Sites Reservoir Would Serve Key Role in State’s Water System

Water wars in the West have existed since gold rush days. Mark Twain said it best: “Water is for fighting. Whiskey is for drinking.”

Storage dams, reservoirs, canals, ditches and tunnels have been built all over the West to serve agriculture, mining and domestic water supplies for nearly 175 years. The massive water systems in California were planned in the 1930s (6 million population ), built in the decades between 1940 (7 million ) and 1965 (population 18 million ). Most of the major projects were completed more than 50 years ago to serve a fraction of the 40 million population that exists today.

Dam Destruction Agreement Will Allow Endangered Salmon to Finally Swim Home

Endangered salmon blocked for nearly a century from hundreds of miles of the Klamath River in Oregon and California are expected to return en masse under unusual agreements signed Wednesday to tear down four hydroelectric dams.

U.S. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell, who signed agreements with the governors of both states, said the plan would bring about one of the largest river restoration projects in the history of the U.S. The landmark deals also protect farmers and ranchers from rising power and water prices as the various interests work to end long-running water wars in the drought-stricken Klamath River basin.

Otay Water District to Choose Winner of Eco-Friendly Landscape Contest

The Otay Water District will soon choose a winner of its 2016 landscape contest, which seeks out yards that prioritize water conservation and eco-friendly features.

The winners, chosen over the next week or so, are selected based primarily on the yard’s environmentally-conscious features and how much water the homeowner saves.

OPINION: Prepare for a Flood of New Levee Work

Much of Sacramento’s charm flows from the American and Sacramento rivers. Those rivers also are a threat. The weak El Niño and years of drought notwithstanding, Sacramento remains the most flood-prone U.S. city this side of New Orleans. For all the levee work that has been completed – $2 billion worth since 1990 – more is needed.

On Thursday, the Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency Board of Directors will meet to consider calling again on property owners in the region’s flood-prone areas to vote to dig a little deeper.