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Water Board Incumbent Ferro: AG Representation is Important

Enrico Ferro, who was appointed to the Valley Center Municipal Water District board for Division 4, has served since February of 2016. He is running for a full term. Ferro has lived in Valley Center since January of 2004 when he purchased an avocado grove and moved here from Deluz. His grandfather owned vineyards and wineries in Mexico but the profession skipped a generation in their family. Ferro’s dad did inspire his son to become interested in agriculture because he was an agriculture inspector. Young Enrico helped him on his rounds as a pest control advisor.

 

OPINION: Five Benefits of a Key Water Supply

The North County’s unique and wonderful landscape, its vibrant communities and its orchards of avocados and other crops, rely on affordable water. Most is imported, either from the Colorado River or from Northern California. Neither source should be taken for granted. Both require investments to maintain their reliability. A key investment decision is on the horizon for the supply from Northern California.

Salton Sea Geothermal Developer Ready For Federal Renewable Energy Procurement

In a guest post by Controlled Thermal Resources, the company highlights how they as a developer are well positioned towards the recently announced renewable energy procurement by the federal government in the U.S. The federal government made an announcement on its commitment to the Salton Sea Restoration and to renewable energy at the annual Lake Tahoe Summit on August 31st.  Following the announcement, a Request for Information (RFI) was issued by the Department of Energy (DOE) as part of the Federal Energy Management Plan (FEMP) on the deliverability of newly developed geothermal energy from the Salton Sea.

State Water Resources Control Board Announces $9.5 Million in Grants for Stormwater Capture

Could capturing California’s stormwater be one way to combat the state’s historic drought? California’s State Water Resources Control Board recently announced it will be providing $9.5 million in grants to 28 different stormwater capture projects. Felicia Marcus, Chairwoman for the Board, called stormwater capture “a smart investment in the future.” “An overdue and welcome shift is occurring in California in how we think about storm water,” said State Water Board Chair Felicia Marcus in a statement to the press.

BLOG: The Price of Water Conservation – Using Less and Paying More

My neighbors and I received an attention-catching letter this summer about our water rates: Because we’ve done such a great job conserving water in the past year, our water rates are going up. California is experiencing a historic drought, and last year, for the first time in history, Gov. Jerry Brown mandated cities to reduce their water consumption by 25 percent. We all had to do our part by curtailing outdoor use of water, taking shorter showers and letting cars go with less frequent washings.

BLOG: How Much Water Was Pumped From The Delta’s Banks Pumping Plant? A Mystery.

As the old saying goes, “Someone with one watch knows what time it is, someone with two watches is never sure.” Water accounting is fundamental to water management, but is not easy.  But any accounting is more difficult and expensive if it is less organized.  To illustrate this point, let’s look at estimates of one of the largest, most important, and “easiest” to measure flows in California: the annual pumped quantity of California’s State Water Project (SWP) Banks Pumping Plant (Banks) in the Delta for the years 2006 through 2010.

BLOG: Tapping Storm Flows to Boost California’s Urban Water Supplies

Stormwater capture is becoming a big deal in California. Once viewed merely as a nuisance – or worse, a flooding threat – runoff from storms is now embraced as a water supply that can be captured.The State Water Resources Control Board recently announced $9.5million in grants for stormwater capture projects. Water board chairwoman Felicia Marcus said utilizing this water supply is “a smart investment in the future.”It may be a new idea to some, but making use of storm flows is a longstanding practice in Los Angeles.

Public Comment Period For Cross-Border Water Pipeline

As plans move forward for a massive desalination plan in Rosarito Beach, a proposed pipeline to carry some of that water to San Diego County is undergoing scrutiny by the U.S. State Department. Through October 14, members of the public are invited to comment on whether the project proposed by the Otay Water District is the national interest. The department recently concluded its final environmental review of the pipeline. Because the structure would cross an international border, the department must evaluate the project before a Presidential Permit can be issued.

OPINION: State Water Control Proposal Draws A Strong Reaction

State Water Board staff recently released a draft proposal to update minimum flow standards for the Lower San Joaquin River to the Delta. This is only one part of the information needed. To provide a complete picture of the needs in the Delta, I urge the board to move quickly to complete the remainder of their analysis on the Sacramento River basin.Delay may be too costly. The need to improve our aquatic ecosystems is urgent. Many communities are paralyzed and fearful of a lengthy and unpredictable regulatory process.

OPINION: UCLA Faculty Voice: L.A. Can’t Follow California’s Lead On Water Conservation

Last month, California’s Water Resources Control Board took the easy way out on water conservation. In 2015, California nearly met Governor Brown’s mandatory water conservation goal of 25 percent thanks to transparent monthly reporting and identifying profligate water wasters. The water board even fined a few of the worst water hogs to demonstrate how serious it was about getting urban Californians to live within their water means.