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BLOG: Wallace Weir: A New Beginning In California’s River Management

/in /by /Water Deeply (New York)by Michael Levitin

Think of the Delta floodplain as a giant bathtub. Now imagine you’ve got a plug that you can insert or take out at will, allowing you to control the amount of water that fills up the plain, creating ideal conditions to grow the aquatic plant life that supports salmon and other fish species. Finally, imagine that you can do all this without causing any harm to Central Valley farmers. Such is the vision of a reconstructed floodplain according to ecologist and fisheries expert Jacob Katz.

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OPINION: California Should Start Water Restrictions Now

/in /by /San Francisco Chronicle

Despite last weekend’s rainstorms, California is still faced with a serious drought. So it’s perhaps not surprising that state regulators are talking about ways to return to state-mandated conservation targets and preparing for even stricter measures. Regulators are planning to roll out California’s first-ever water budgets — budgets for each district’s allowable supply. The long-range requirements will require permanent adjustments to new water efficiency measures — and a shift in the way each Californian lives.

 

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First Rain Of The Season Snarls Traffic, But Record-Breaking Heat Is On The Way

/in /by /Los Angeles Timesby Sarah Parvini

Another weak cold front moved through Southern California on Monday morning, bringing the first rain of the season to a large swath of the state. Drivers were met with light rain and slick roads that jammed traffic in parts of Los Angeles and caused multiple crashes. A collision on the 710 Freeway caused a major closure near Atlantic Boulevard in Vernon. The crash occurred around 2:30 a.m. and was cleared just before 4 a.m., according to the California Highway Patrol. Another crash on the eastbound 91 Freeway in Long Beach left all lanes closed around 2 a.m., the CHP said.

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Critics Slam Turf Removal Company’s Rebate-Driven Work

/in /by /Total Landscape Care (Tuscaloosa, Ala.)by Jill Odom

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD) offered turf rebates like many other water suppliers, but it ended up funding one company that, according to many observers, left only gravel wastelands in its wake. The turf removal company known as Turf Terminators has been surrounded with controversy for some time, with a groundswell of area residents disapproving of their methods and others accusing the company of bribing the Los Angeles mayor. The company originally started as an environmentally focused investment startup called Carbon Venture Partners.

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OPINION: Demand Answers Before Buying Into $17B Plan (By Mark Muir)

/in /by /San Diego Business Journalby Mark Muir Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California is mounting a major PR campaign in San Diego County – including an Oct.3 commentary in the SDBJ – based on its assertion that “we need California WaterFix” to ensure a reliable water supply for Southern California. This advocacy effort is being conducted by MWD staff and consultants even though MWD’s Board of Directors has not voted on whether to support the WaterFix, a proposal by the state to address challenges in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Bay Delta at the cost of at least $ 17 billion.

OPINION: San Diego Must Get Serious About Water Supply

/in /by /The San Diego Union-Tribuneby Andrew Kleske Mentioned: Mark Muir

An article “State eyes new water rules as users cut back less” (Oct. 16) reports new rules are being considered as voluntary conservation isn’t working. What does the state expect when it relaxed rules on conservation in June? The time to conserve is when you have something to conserve.

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