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Another Hot and Dry Winter for LA?

/in , /by /LA Curbedby Elijah Chiland

Los Angeles is in for another hot winter, with little chance for relief from drought conditions that now exist throughout California, according to a new forecast from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. That’s in spite of a probable El Niño event, which could bring above-average rainfall to the southwestern United States. The NOAA estimates that there’s a 70 to 75 percent chance that an El Niño develops in late fall or early winter, but it’s likely to be a weak El Niño, meaning that it’s less likely to bring higher than average rainfall to Southern California.

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District Poised to Capture More Stormwater Thanks to Army Corps of Engineers

/in , /by /California Water News Daily

Historically the Orange County Water District (OCWD) has had to rely on Mother Nature for water. Although, due to climate change, that is no longer a realistic water strategy for OCWD. The agency has instead made significant investments in cutting-edge technology, such as water reuse, to help the region weather droughts. However, not taking advantage when large rain events take place is not something OCWD wants to miss out on and has found a way to capture more stormwater without having to spend tens of millions of dollars in new infrastructure.

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Why California Law Requires a Clear Benefit for Groundwater Recharge

/in , /by /Water Deeply (New York)by Matt Weiser

Researchers at the University of California recently highlighted a flaw in state law that may prohibit diverting streamflow to recharge groundwater. The problem is that groundwater recharge by itself is not considered a “beneficial use” under state law, and meeting that definition is a requirement to obtain a permit to divert water. Officials at the State Water Resources Control Board, which oversees water rights, say the reality is not so clear-cut. In fact, existing rules allow most groundwater recharge projects to obtain a water right.

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County Offers Discounted Rain Barrels

/in , /by /The San Diego Union-Tribune

The Solana Center for Environmental Innovation and the County of San Diego are offering discounted rain barrels to encourage harvesting of rainwater. By using a rain barrel, county residents can reduce pollution from runoff, conserve water and save money on their water bills. The cost is $90 per 50-gallon rain barrel, but residents of incorporated cities can qualify for a $35 rebate per rain barrel on up to two rain barrels per household, bringing the cost to $55 each. Residents of unincorporated areas of the county can get an additional $30 discount, (limited to two discounts per household) for the first 200 rain barrels sold.

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Different areas of your landscaping are affected by shade, moisture, and temperature, creating a variety of microclimates. Photo: Water Authority

Map Your Microclimates

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Every garden has areas where plants flourish, and other areas where plants struggle. Structures, walls, fences and other plants can affect the amount of sun and shade in a garden. Every garden is completely different, even if it is located in the same general climate zone. 

There may be hills and hollows in your front yard that collect cold air. Or, if your property is sloped, you may not get frost when your neighbors do.  

The first step to a new or renovated landscape is walking around your property during the day and observing it closely.  

Which plants are keepers? 

Decide which plants work and which should be removed. Outline the canopy area of the plants being retained. Note the name, general size, and health of the plants. Which are more drought-tolerant? Many plants can thrive on less water when they are well established, with deep healthy roots. Old rose bushes and large shade trees are two good examples.  

Note sun and shade 

Areas of your landscaping under large shade trees become individual microclimates. Photo: Ken Lund/Creative Commons License

Areas of your landscaping under large shade trees become individual microclimates. Photo: Ken Lund/Creative Commons License

Mark the areas that receive sun all day, and areas that are shaded all or part of the day. Also note which areas receive only partial sun, or a few hours of direct morning sun, midday sun, or late afternoon sun. In choosing landscape plants, select those that are appropriate for the sunlight patterns of the garden. Plants marked as “full sun” will not be happy in full shade, and vice versa.  

Group plants for similar needs 

When selecting and grouping plants, note the water requirements of each plant. Make sure plants with different water needs are not placed together. Some sun-loving plants have moderate water needs, and some have very low water needs. If these are mixed together, one will always suffer if the watering routine works for the other types. 

 

This article was inspired by the 71-page Sustainable Landscapes Program guidebook available at SustainableLandscapesSD.org. The Water Authority and its partners also offer other great resources for landscaping upgrades, including free WaterSmart classes at WaterSmartSD.org.    

City Councilman Calls for Big Fixes at Public Utilities Department

/in , /by /NBC San Diegoby Paul Krueger

City Councilman Scott Sherman wants significant changes at the San Diego Water Department. Sherman’s call for action came Oct. 16, during a city council discussion of an independent audit of the problem-plagued department. That audit, along with reporting by the NBC 7 Responds team, uncovered significant delays in the department’s effort to replace broken water meter boxes and lids. Auditors also discovered that some department employees were working less than four hours of their eight-hour workday.

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Metropolitan Water District Looks to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Address Climate Change

/in , /by /California Water News Daily

The Metropolitan Water District (MWD) Board of Directors has voted to develop a Climate Action Plan with a goal of providing a complete framework of how to reduce the district’s carbon footprint. The plan will include reducing the greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) produced in the delivery of water to Southern California as well as a comprehensive plan to combat climate change. The MWD board also voted to award an $815,000 contract to Rincon Consultants, Inc. to assist in creating the plan, which will be developed over the next 18 months. Rincon Consultants maintains more than a dozen offices in mostly Southern and Central California.

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State High Court Rejects Berkeley Group’s Suit to Drain Hetch Hetchy Reservoir

/in , /by /San Francisco Chronicleby Bob Egelko

The California Supreme Court rejected a conservation group’s lawsuit Wednesday seeking to drain Yosemite’s Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, a source of water for San Francisco and surrounding Bay Area communities. Restore Hetch Hetchy, a Berkeley group, argued in its suit that the location of the dam and reservoir, which flooded a valley in the park after construction in 1923, violates a provision of the California Constitution requiring reasonable water use. But a state appeals court in Fresno ruled in July that Congress had overridden state laws when it authorized construction of the dam and reservoir.

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Map Your Microclimates

/in , /by /Water News Network

Every garden has areas where plants flourish, and other areas where plants struggle. Structures, walls, fences and other plants can affect the amount of sun and shade in a garden. Every garden is completely different, even if it is located in the same general climate zone. There may be hills and hollows in your front yard that collect cold air. Or, if your property is sloped, you may not get frost when your neighbors do. The first step to a new or renovated landscape is walking around your property during the day and observing it closely.  

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Fire Danger To Persist Into Midweek In Southern California

/in , /by /AccuWeatherby Faith Eherts

While the peak wind speeds are in the past with the season’s first Santa Ana wind event, gusty winds and a heightened fire threat will persist into Wednesday across Southern California. Santa Ana winds are dry, gusty winds that blow towards the shore from inland desert regions, typically across Southern California during the autumn months. While travel disruptions, flight delays and the risk of property damage and power outages will diminish on Wednesday, the dry air and a breeze will continue to cause some problems.

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