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OPINION: There’s Nothing Strange About a Water Authority Buying and Storing Power

For public agencies, one of the easiest things to do is to keep doing the same things the same way and keep your head down to avoid attention.That’s not what the San Diego County Water Authority does. It leans into the complexities inherent in natural resource issues, continually seeking opportunities and innovations that will serve the region’s ratepayers for decades to come. The Water Authority’s highest good is delivering a safe and reliable water supply at a reasonable cost, and it works toward that goal every day. That’s exactly what the public should expect – consistent day-in-and-day-out performance.

BLOG: Wastewater: A New Frontier for Water Recycling

It is now possible to imagine a future in which highly treated wastewater will be plumbed directly into California homes as a new drinking water supply. On September 8, the State Water Resources Control Board released a long-awaited report on the feasibility of so-called “direct potable reuse.” This means recycling urban sewage flows in a process akin to seawater desalination, then plumbing it directly into a city’s freshwater distribution lines without first storing it in a groundwater aquifer or reservoir (known as indirect potable reuse).

15 Cloud-To-Ground Lightning Strikes Recorded In San Diego County

Thunderstorms that developed over San Diego County early Monday delivered lightning strikes that may have contributed to several brief power outages and small fires. Between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m., 15 cloud-to-ground lightning strikes were recorded in San Diego County and its coastal waters, according to the National Weather Service. A few small fires broke out around the same time, including in Valencia Park, Logan Heights and Chula Vista, although it was not immediately confirmed that lightning strikes were the cause. A fire weather watch for areas other than the deserts is in effect through this evening.

BLOG: Meet the Minds: 10 Things Max Gomberg Wants For California Water

From high-school students to high-tech companies and local breweries, Max Gomberg of the State Water Resources Control Board has been astounded by Californians’ efforts to conserve water amid the drought. “More and more people are seeing how climate change is impacting their lives, and, in the case of droughts, taking personal initiative along with demanding more government action,” he told Water Deeply. Gomberg works on water conservation and climate change management for the board.

Olivenhain Water District Gets Rating Upgrade

The Olivenhain Municipal Water District (OMWD) has seen the credit rating for its revenue bonds upgraded from AA+ to AAA with a stable outlook. Fitch Ratings, a global rating agency that offers independent credit opinions, cited historically high liquidity, manageable borrowing plans, conservative financial forecasting and equitable and disciplined rate-setting in making its upgrades. AAA is the highest possible rating assigned by Fitch and OMWD is one of only a handful of Southern California water agencies that have achieved this pinnacle of financial excellence.

Is the California Coastline in Danger? Does it Matter?

There’s a romance to the phrase “Pacific Coast Highway” that is for many a burned-into-the-brain vision of wide open, empty bluffs dropping down to the sandy beaches of the California coastline, and the blue Pacific Ocean dotted with surfers. Beauty, open spaces and the beach are often-cited attributes of the Golden State’s coastline. But, there is also an ugly side: dismissals, infighting, community uprisings, backroom dealing, and questions about the California Coastal Commission’s integrity.

OPINION: California Must Invest in Watersheds, Just Like Dams

To support our prosperity and growth, California needs to expand its investments in our physical and natural infrastructure.This is particularly apparent as climate change puts stress on our ability to provide safe, clean water. One of the bills awaiting Gov. Jerry Brown’s decision stands out as a common-sense measure that would help secure California’s future water needs. Assembly Bill 2480, by Assemblyman Richard Bloom, D-Santa Monica, would require formal recognition of the five watersheds that feed Northern California’s primary reservoirs as state infrastructure, just like the state’s dams, canals and levees.

 

 

OPINION: Help Protect Lake Mead and Colorado River Water

We, the four Pima County representatives on the Central Arizona Project (CAP) Board of Directors, read with interest Tony Davis’ September 4, 2016 article “Lake Powell could dry up in as little as six years, study says” on the water resource issues facing Lake Powell and the Colorado River Upper Basin States of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming.

Ocean Conditions Portend Uncertain Winter Weather Across West

Weather forecasters are backing off their earlier prediction that La Nina atmospheric conditions would drive weather patterns this fall and winter. That means all bets are off when it comes to how — and how many — storms will approach the West Coast, advises Michelle Mead, a National Weather Service warning coordinator. The federal Climate Prediction Center had issued a “watch” for La Nina — a mixture of atmospheric and ocean surface temperatures that tends to steer storms toward the Pacific Northwest and Northern California.

 

Neutral Weather Pattern Could Lead to Either Wet or Dry Fall and Winter

Forecasters for the National Weather Service are tracking a neutral weather pattern for this upcoming fall and winter. Neutral means sea surface temperatures (SSTs) of the equatorial pacific are below El Niño criteria but above La Niña. Last year’s El Niño tied for the strongest on record and brought a lot of rain to Northern California and put a dent in the drought but did not live up to its hype. Cheryl Rauch was in Redding Monday to visit the Sundial Bridge and like most people in the region was looking for more rain to start the fall season.