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Water Veteran Kirby Brill Appointed Interim GM For Inland Empire Utilities Agency

/in , /by /California Water News Daily

With more than 30 years in water resource management and planning, Kirby Brill has come out of retirement to serve as interim general manager at Inland Empire Utilities Agency (IEUA). The IEUA Board of Directors unanimously appointed Brill to the agency’s top management position at the board’s Dec. 14 meeting. Brill retired in mid-2017 after having served for 17 years as general manager for Mojave Water Agency (MWA) based in Apple Valley. Although he began his career in the private sector he transitioned to the public sector when he took a position with the Orange County Water District (OCWD).

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Water District Employee Honored

/in , /by /Valley Roadrunner (Valley Center)

Lee Hicks, Senior Water Systems Technician, was Valley Center Municipal Water District’s 2018 recipient of the Manager’s Award recognizing excellence among the District’s staff members. A 19-year employee, Hicks was nominated from among his co-workers for the award.  The nomination cited his commitment and willingness to go the “extra mile,” in doing his job.  The nomination also It also mentioned his willingness to fill-in for others on short notice.  

 

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Arbitrator Admonishes Water Authority After It Sued Five Tribes

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

The San Diego County Water Authority tried to interfere with the delivery of water to five local Indian tribes based on illegal actions and illogical arguments, a former federal judge has ruled. Last year, five San Diego Indian tribes got back the rights to water taken from them a century ago. In response, the San Diego County Water Authority this spring blamed the tribes for cutting into its bottom line and sued them for $2 million.

 

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OPINION: State’s New Voluntary Water Agreements Are A Good Deal For Delta Fish, Valley Farms

/in , /by /The Fresno Beeby Thomas Birmingham and Jason Phillips

Over the past three years, the State Water Resources Control Board has conducted a public process to increase the water flowing to the Sacramento-San Joaquin Rivers Delta with the intent of improving declining fish populations. However, an increase in river flow means a reduction in supplies for Californians, who are dependent on them for their lives and livelihoods. There are two approaches to this: painful, mandatory cuts to water supplies or voluntary agreements among water users to achieve specific goals in the Bay-Delta Water Quality Control Plan update.

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Gusty Winds May Raise Wildfire Risk Over Southern California Into Friday

/in , /by /Accuweather by Alex Sosnowski

A period of moderate Sundowner winds will rattle coastal areas of Southern California into early Friday. Gusts to 45 mph are likely with the potential for a few locally higher gusts from parts of Santa Barbara County to just north and west of Los Angeles. Gusts will be strong enough to make for difficult travel with lightweight and high-profile vehicles. The combination of dry air and gusty winds will raise the risk of wildfire ignition and quick spread of any existing fires.

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OPINION: What New Water Deals Mean And What Work Is Left To Be Done

/in , /by /CALmatters (Sacramento)by Karla Nemeth

California’s State Water Project and federal Central Valley Project span several northern watersheds, converging in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, where their pumping stations operate a stone’s throw away from one another. They coordinate their operations on a daily basis and have done so for decades. Earlier this month, the California Department of Water Resources signed three agreements updating how the state and federal projects share  environmental and financial obligations associated with their operations.

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Trump’s Rule A Wild Card For Western Water Supplies

/in , /by /E&E News (DC)by Ariel Wittenberg and Jeremy P. Jacobs

The Trump administration’s proposal to limit the Clean Water Act’s reach over wetlands and waterways would likely complicate efforts to protect and manage the parched West’s most important and imperiled source of water. At risk: the Colorado River — water provider for 40 million people and vast swaths of cropland — which is already reeling from a crippling drought and rising water demands. Trump’s proposed waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule would strip federal protections for ephemeral streams that only flow after rain or snow and wetlands without continuous surface water connections to waterways. That’s particularly important in the Colorado River Basin.

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San Diego County Health Officials Warn Residents To Avoid Beaches Due To Urban Runoff

/in , /by /10 News

Although the storm system that brought recent rainfall has left the region, the San Diego County Department of Environmental Health Wednesday urged the public to avoid water contact at all coastal beaches and bays. County health officials issued a general rain advisory Tuesday warning swimmers, surfers and other water users that rain brings urban runoff, which can cause bacteria levels to rise significantly in ocean and bay waters — especially near storm drains, creeks, rivers and lagoon outlets.

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Christmas Storm Drops Significant Rain Across Inland Areas, As Well As A Little Snow

/in , /by /The San Diego Union-Tribuneby Gary Robbins

A fast moving Pacific storm blew through San Diego County on Christmas Day, dropping an inch or more of rain in some areas while also producing snow furries in Julian and the local mountains. The system had largely moved off to the east by 4 p.m. Tuesday, though forecasters said sporadic showers were possible Tuesday night. Here is a sample of the 24-hour rainfall totals through 5 p.m. Tuesday: Julian, 1.51’’; Lake Cuyamaca, 1.42”; Pine Hills, 1.10”; Ramona, 1.06”; Descanso, 1.03”; Henshaw Dam, 0.80”; Santee, 0.65”; Fallbrook, 0.62”; Alpine, 0.53”; San Marcos, 0.52”; San Diego International Airport, 0.18”.

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City and SDG&E Are At Loggerheads Over $98.8 Million In Utility Relocation Costs For Pure Water Project

/in , /by /The San Diego Union-Tribuneby Jeff McDonald

One of the most expensive capital projects in city history — a massive water-recycling plant — is costing almost $100 million more than expected because San Diego Gas & Electric is declining to pay to relocate its equipment to make way for the project. At the request of Mayor Kevin Faulconer, the San Diego City Council has agreed to pay SDG&E $35 million to move gas and power lines so work can start on Pure Water San Diego, the $3 billion plan to promote water-independence by treating wastewater and returning it to city taps.

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