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War of Words Flares in Arizona Over Lake Mead Water

/in /by /Las Vegas Review-Journalby Henry Brean

Officials in Arizona have reached an impasse on a multistate agreement aimed at storing more Colorado River water in Lake Mead, but Southern Nevada Water Authority chief John Entsminger said he is confident the deal will still get done. Since 2015, Nevada, California and Arizona have been negotiating a drought contingency plan to keep Lake Mead from shrinking enough to trigger a first-ever federal shortage declaration and force Nevada and Arizona to cut their use of river water.

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Under New SDG&E Plan, Customers Who Leave Could Keep Paying For Decades

/in /by /Voice of San Diegoby Ry Rivard Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

Most people have basically no choice about where they get their power from – SDG&E’s monopoly covers 4,100 square miles of Southern California. Soon, that is likely to change as many California cities, including San Diego, look to start buying power for their residents. But even if the city begins to compete with San Diego Gas & Electric, people may still be forced to pay SDG&E for power for decades to come. The state allows companies to keep making people pay for power, even if people no longer use, want or need it.

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Holy CDEC*: New Melones Hits 2M Acre-feet

/in /by /eSan Joaquin Blogby Alex Breitler

New Melones Lake soared past 2 million acre-feet of storage over the past few days, a level that no one thought possible (well, I certainly didn’t) a mere six months ago.The reservoir is now at its highest mark since 2011. And still rising. This afternoon’s heat has pushed inflow above 9,000 cubic feet per second as Sierra snow begins to melt. New Melones is now encroaching into space reserved for flood control. And as a consequence, officials are finally releasing substantial amounts of water from the dam — about 5,000 cfs on Tuesday.

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Caffeine Is Being Found In San Diego County Streams

/in /by /NBC 7 San Diegoby JW August

It began as a mystery for local water experts in San Diego County: numerous area streams showing the presence of caffeine, a stimulant with no natural source in California.A team from the state’s Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program (SWAMP) pulled samples from 85 different locations across the county and found caffeine in 49 locations. According to a February fact sheet, from the Regional Water Quality Control Board, the group was finding similar results year round in a seven-year period from 2008-2015.

 

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San Diego Water Authority Wants Proposals For 500 MW Of Pumped Storage

/in /by /Utility Dive (Washington, DC)by Peter Maloney Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

The San Diego County Water Authority, in conjunction with the City of San Diego, is seeking proposals for a 500 MW pumped hydro power station.The water authority plans to issue a request for proposals this summer to solicit more detailed proposals from 18 respondents to an earlier request, but is also open proposals from parties that have not yet submitted proposals. The project would involve a 500 MW pumped storage facility at the San Vicente Reservoir that would be capable of storing energy for five to eight hours.

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California Proposes Stringent Cap On Toxic Chemical In Drinking Water

/in /by /Phys.Orgby Stephanie O'neill
California regulators are proposing a strict limit on a toxic man-made chemical that has contaminated water supplies throughout the state, particularly in its vast agricultural heartland.

California would be only the second state, after Hawaii, to establish a threshold for the former pesticide ingredient and industrial solvent known as TCP (1,2,3-trichloropropane) in drinking water. The chemical compound, identified in California as a human carcinogen, is no longer in wide use but has leached over the years into many wells and reservoirs.
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Delicate Vernal Pools Restored In San Diego County

/in /by /KPBSby Erik Anderson

Those drenching winter rains that ended California’s six-year drought, painted San Diego’s Proctor Valley green this spring. The Chaparral Lands Conservancy’s David Hogan stands in the heart of the expansive landscape and sees a window into the region’s past. “Proctor Valley is special because it’s such a large relatively intact chunk of natural habitat lands so close to the city just east of the subdivisions in Chula Vista, right now,” Hogan said. “It’s really unique to have this much intact native habitat still around, anywhere close to San Diego.”

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OPINION: Compounding The Water Issue

/in /by /Sierra Star

The adage “One thing leads to another” is reaching new heights in California. For 150 years we have attempted to suppress forest fires instead of managing them, hindering nature’s way of thinning our forests. Prior to the spotted owl and the Endangered Species Act, we selectively logged the forests which replenished themselves every decade. We also used prescribed burns and grazing to accomplish forest thinning. Grazing and logging also provided jobs and revenue.

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Redding Continues To Encourage Water Conservation After Drought

/in /by /KRCRTV.COMby Cristina Davies

The City of Redding was out testing their sprinkler systems late Tuesday morning to ensure they were all working properly.  “The drought is over. The governor officially declared that,” said Brian Crane, who is the Public Works Director.  Even though the drought is over, Crane explained Governor Jerry Brown continues to keep some water regulations in place.

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7 Things I Learned Studying Public Opinion on Water

/in /by /News Deeplyby Mitch Tobin Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

What do Americans think about their water? Over the past few months, I’ve been poring over a variety of public opinion surveys that try to illuminate our attitudes toward water. Recent events, such as the lead poisoning in Flint and an epic drought in California, have repeatedly thrust water into the news cycle. Long before those headlines, however, Americans were telling pollsters they were worried about their water. Climate change’s impact on the hydrological cycle has only amplified the concerns.

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