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Environmentalists Want More Marshland In Mission Bay To Fight Sea Level Rise

/in , /by /The San Diego Union-Tribuneby David Garrick

San Diego’s proposed redevelopment of Mission Bay Park’s northeast corner could include significantly more marshland if city officials embrace new proposals from local environmentalists concerned about sea level rise. One proposal calls for 200 acres of marshland, more than double the 84 acres proposed by the city, which would limit acreage for new amenities and could require closure or shrinkage of Mission Bay Golf Course.

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Winter Forecast: Warmer Temperatures with Average Rainfall

/in , /by /10 News (San Diego)by Zac Self

Average rainfall and warmer temperatures, that’s what the San Diego office of the National Weather Service is forecasting this winter. With a few windows of opportunity for significant precipitation from December to March, it will be a warm and dry winter with more Santa Ana winds expected, according to City News Service. The National Weather Service predicts that San Diego’s best chance for rain in the near future will be in mid-November.

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LA County to Vote on Tax for Stormwater Projects

/in , /by /NBC 4 (Los Angeles)

Los Angeles County voters will decide Tuesday on a proposed parcel tax that would bankroll projects aimed at capturing, cleaning and conserving stormwater to prevent it from running downstream and polluting rivers and beaches. Measure W, dubbed the Safe Clean Water Program, is expected to raise $300 million annually. It needs the backing of two-thirds of voters to be approved. “Every year a full 100 billion gallons of water runs down our curbs and out into the ocean,” picking up trash and toxins along the way, Supervisor Sheila Kuehl said in July when the Board of Supervisors voted to place the item on the ballot.

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If Proposition 3 Passes, 2018 Could Become California’s Highest-Funded Year for Water Projects in Decades

/in , /by /Pacific Standard Magazineby Kate Wheeling

California voters will weigh in on 11 statewide ballot propositions on November 6th—a relatively small number for a state where the record number is 45. Still, the measures cover a lot of ground: everything from gas taxes to housing to breaks for emergency workers to daylight savings time to water conservation. There was even a ballot measure (Proposition 9) that could have split California into three states, before the state Supreme Court struck it from the ballot over the summer. Some of the remaining propositions are more straightforward than others, and Proposition 3, which would authorize the state to sell $8.9 billion in bonds to pay for water infrastructure and environmental projects, has left many voters confused.

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OPINION: State’s Water Grab Includes Stunning Groundwater Restrictions

/in , /by /Merced Sun-Starby Daron McDaniel

The State Water Resources Control Board will vote Wednesday on a proposal to send more of our river water out to the Delta – a move that would decimate the Central Valley’s economy, water quality and quality of life. The water board claims this is to save some fish. But many believe there are ulterior motives. In October 2016, water board staff spoke to the Merced board of supervisors for the first time about the Bay-Delta Water Quality Control Plan Update and its impacts on our disadvantaged communities. This plan will send significant amounts of surface water – up to 50 percent of unimpaired flows – out into the ocean from the Merced, Tuolumne and Stanislaus Rivers.

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How Next Week’s Expected State Water Board Vote Could Trigger a Flood of Lawsuits

/in , /by /The Modesto Beeby Ken Carlson

Most signs point to the State Water Board approving a much-disputed river flow plan next week that will mean less water for farms and cities in the Northern San Joaquin Valley. The board, also known as the State Water Resources Control Board, is set to vote Wednesday to require irrigation districts to leave more water in the Tuolumne, Stanislaus and Merced rivers in an effort to restore salmon. Local irrigation districts and county and city leaders have promised a prolonged battle over the water board’s final plan released in July, saying it will devastate the region’s economy and won’t help the fish.

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SF Mayor Breed Vetoes Supervisors’ Resolution that Supported State River Plan

/in , /by /San Francisco Chronicleby Kurtis Alexander

San Francisco Mayor London Breed broke her silence on California’s latest water war Friday, saying she wouldn’t support a state river restoration plan that would mean giving up some of the city’s pristine Hetch Hetchy water. In addition to her unexpected announcement, Breed vetoed a resolution passed unanimously by the Board of Supervisors earlier this week that offered the city’s blessing for the little-known, but far-reaching state initiative.

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U.C. Davis Law’s Environmental Law Center Releases Proposition 3 White Paper

/in , /by /California WaterBlog (Davis)by Richard Frank

The U.C. Davis School of Law’s California Environmental Law & Policy Center has published a detailed analysis of one of the most controversial initiative measures facing California voters on the November 6, 2018 general election ballot: Proposition 3.  California’s Proposition 3: A Policy Analysis provides a detailed summary and analysis of the proposed “Water Supply and Water Quality Act of 2018.”  If enacted, Proposition 3 would authorize the sale of $8.877 billion in state general obligation bonds to finance a wide array of water infrastructure, safe drinking water, groundwater management and watershed and fisheries improvement projects.

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Local Elementary School Finds Lead in Water

/in , /by /FOX 5 San Diego

A San Diego elementary school is shutting off part of their drinking water supply due to unsafe lead levels, district officials announced Friday. Six water fixtures at Fletcher Elementary School, a K-5 school on Bobolink Way in the Linda Vista area, displayed higher lead levels than the district’s 5ppb safety limit during testing at the school. Most of the fixtures had lead levels under 10 parts per billion, but one — a cafeteria kitchen faucet — showed levels of about 45 parts per billion, nine times higher than the district’s limit and three times higher than the federal limit of 15 parts per billion.

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Check irrigation systems when changing the clocks on Sunday November 4. Photo: Kelly M. Grow/ California Department of Water Resources daylight savinig time

Fall Back and Save Water As Clocks Change

/in , /by

Whether you are excited about an extra hour of sleep or dour about losing an hour of sunlight at the end of the day, daylight saving time ends Sunday, Nov. 4. The annual adjustment is a great reminder to perform several important household tasks, such as replacing smoke alarm batteries and restocking emergency preparedness kits.

The San Diego County Water Authority asks residents to add one more important task when changing the clocks: Adjust irrigation systems to save water in the months ahead.

“Adjusting irrigation is an easy way to conserve water, since landscapes need less irrigation as the days get shorter and cooler,” said Dana Friehauf, a water resources manager for the Water Authority. “Residents also should make sure their irrigation systems are working correctly, and are free of broken sprinkler heads or other leaks that waste water.”

Approximately half of a typical California household’s water use is outdoors. Seasonal adjustments to irrigation controllers in preparation for winter weather not only reduce water waste, they benefit the health of landscape plants.

Cool-season water-saving practices can reduce use

Additional water-saving practices during the fall and winter months include:

  • Turning off irrigation systems when rainstorms are predicted.
  • Leaving irrigation systems off for at least a week after significant rainfall.
  • Installing rain barrels or cisterns to help capture stormwater from roofs and store it for future irrigation use.

Fall is also the ideal time for residents to upgrade thirsty turf yards to WaterSmart sustainable landscapes. Homeowners can take advantage of winter rains to help establish a new landscape. The Water Authority’s award-winning WaterSmart Landscape Makeover Program offers a variety of free classes and how-to online videos to guide homeowners through the conversion process. More information is at WaterSmartSD.

In addition, there are a limited number of residential rebates available for homeowners who want to upgrade to sustainable landscaping at SoCal Water$mart.

The Water Authority offers additional water-saving resources for residents and businesses through its Live WaterSmart campaign. These include:

  • Free water-use surveys and irrigation checkups
  • Rebates for highly efficient irrigation equipment, washing machines and other devices
  • Water-efficiency training for professional landscapers
  • An online home water-use calculator and other tools

For a comprehensive list of tips, or to learn more about the Water Authority’s suite of water-saving resources, go to WaterSmartSD.org.