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Imperial Valley Water Officials Set Ultimatum To Protect Salton Sea

Imperial Valley’s water district, the Imperial Irrigation District, is demanding state water officials have a 10-year plan for the management of the Salton Sea by the end of the year or it will not agree to a proposed Colorado River drought deal. The Salton Sea is shrinking due to a water transfer deal that sends water to San Diego County and the Coachella Valley. As the lake recedes, wildlife habitat is being lost and playa, the lakebed, is exposed, causing a health hazard due to an increase of dust in the air.

OPINION: A Plan To Manage California’s Water

“Boxer slams water bill rider backed by Feinstein” (Dec. 6) is an unfortunate attack on a bill that California desperately needs to ensure its water operations are based on good science and which help construct a new and different water infrastructure. We’re a state of 40 million people relying on a water system built when only 16 million people lived here — that’s not sustainable. The water bill that Congress is now considering puts us on the right path.

OPINION: One More Try For Federal Fixes To California’s Water Woes

Local water folks are hopeful, but not holding their breath, that the latest congressional effort to move a little more water down the pike from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta will actually succeed. Even if it does, I’m sure environmental activists already have their lawyers prepped and ready for launch. But it’s the holidays, so who knows? This legislation may be the Christmas miracle that everyone had hoped El Niño would be last year. (Rotten little boy.) It’s expected to be taken up by the House and Senate over the next week. Anyhow, here’s what all the hubbub is about, at least in water circles.

 

White House Won’t Support California Water Bill That’s Already Divided Its Senators

The White House on Tuesday voiced doubts about controversial California water legislation that has already caused an unusually public split between the state’s two Democratic senators. Meeting with reporters, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said the California provisions that span some 91 pages of often-technical text seemed problematic, though he cautioned that analysis continues. “Based on what we know so far, we don’t support the kinds of proposals that have been put forward to address some of the water resources issues in California right now,” Earnest said.

White House Is Leery Of Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s California Water Plan

White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Tuesday that the Obama administration was still reviewing the California water policy included in the proposed Water Resources Development Act on Monday by California’s senior senator and Republican members of the state’s congressional delegation. “Based on what we know so far, we don’t support the kinds of proposals that have been put forward to address some of the water resources issues in California right now,” Earnest told reporters Tuesday.

California Water Conservation Slips Again. Here’s How Much

Urban Californians used about 1.8 percent more water in October compared with a year earlier, state officials said Tuesday. It marked the fourth straight month in which conservation has slipped following the state’s decision to relax drought mandates.The State Water Resources Control Board said, however, that conservation was better in October than in September, and that it was largely pleased with the efforts Californians were making. “Californians’ continued commitment to conservation shows they don’t take water for granted anymore,” said board Chairwoman Felicia Marcus in a prepared statement.

 

Jerry Brown Predicts ‘Negative, And Very Powerful’ Reaction If Donald Trump Halts Climate Change Action

In his global evangelism about the threat of climate change, Gov. Jerry Brown has dismissed skeptics as “troglodytes” and “deniers of the obvious science.” But Brown, who in recent years has emerged as a premier climate warrior, has refused to ascribe those characteristics to Donald Trump since his election as president, despite the Republican businessman’s support for fossil fuels and repeated dismissals of climate change as a hoax perpetrated by the Chinese. In brief remarks about the subject, Brown said Monday that it would be difficult for the U.S. to “go rogue” on climate change.

Californians Did A Slightly Better Job Saving Water During An Unusually Wet October

California enjoyed one of its wettest Octobers in recent history and its residents responded by reducing their water use, state officials announced Tuesday. People in cities and towns cut their water consumption by 19.5% during the first month of the “water year,” compared with the same month in 2013. The savings marked an improvement from September, when urban Californians saved 18.3%, compared with 2013. “Californians’ continued commitment to conservation shows they don’t take water for granted anymore,” said State Water Resources Control Board Chairwoman Felicia Marcus.