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Colorado River Water Crisis Is Days Away. Can States Make A Deal?

/in , /by /KQED (San Francisco)by Lauren Sommer

Avoiding a long-expected crisis on the Colorado River, a water source for 40 million people, is coming down to a final few days of frenzied negotiations. A 19-year drought and decades of overuse have put a water shortfall on the horizon. If California and six other states, all with deeply entrenched interests, can’t agree on a plan to cut their water consumption by Jan. 31, the federal government says it will step in and decide the river’s future.

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Weekend California Storm May Become Wintry Mess Next Week In The Plains, Midwest And Northeast

/in , /by /The Weather Channel by Jonathan Erdman

A Pacific storm swinging into California this weekend may then spread a mess of snow and ice into parts of the Midwest and Northeast, kicking off the first full week of February early next week. After one of the coldest Midwest outbreaks in a generation, the jet stream pattern will undergo a fundamental change. Instead of taking a nosedive out of Canada into the Great Lakes and Northeast, the jet stream will take a southward plunge in the western U.S. by the weekend. This will push a potent storm to the West Coast this weekend that will work its way into the Plains, Midwest and Northeast early next week.

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California Water Outlook Improves After Recent Storms, California Farm Bureau Federation Reports

/in , /by /Sierra Sun Timesby Christine Souza

Storms during the first three weeks of January brought seasonal rainfall and snowpack levels to average or more, increased reservoir levels and brought cautious optimism to California farmers, who hope to see improved water supplies in the coming year. After seeing the Sierra Nevada snowpack increase from 70 percent of average on Jan. 1 to 105 percent of average at the start of this week, farmers said they’re encouraged—but noted the winter still has a long way to go.

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Engineer: Twin Tunnels Project Could Endanger Vital Levees

/in , /by /KCRA 3 (Sacramento)by Kevin Oliver

At the peak of pear packing season, Daniel Wilson’s Sacramento County operation is bustling. Pears are sorted wrapped and prepared for shipments to stores across the country. “I get so buried in it, I don’t think about it too hard. We just go until we’re done,” Wilson said. It’s an operation that sits a few feet below sea level, so flooding is always in the back of Wilson’s mind. His orchards and packing plant is surrounded by levees. “If you look, all the equipment is up high and that’s why,” Wilson explained, adding, “100 percent of what we farm is protected by levees anywhere from five feet below sea level (to) five feet above sea level. If the levees break, we’re out of business.”

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Lake Oroville 39 Percent Full; Water Allocations Increased

/in , /by /Chico Enterprise-Recordby Steve Schoonover

Water deliveries from Lake Oroville have been increased for 2019, but unlike most of California’s reservoirs the local lake is still far lower than usual, though it’s on the rise. The Department of Water Resources reported Friday that allocations to State Water Project users were being increased to 15 percent of contracted amounts, up from the 10 percent announced in December. The 15 percent allocation amounts to 631,115 acre-feet according to DWR spokeswoman Erin Mellon. The primary source of that water is Lake Oroville.

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Bill Proposed To Help Breweries And Wineries Recycle Their Water

/in , /by /CBS 13 (Sacramento)

State lawmakers want to make it easier for breweries and wineries to recycle their water. A new bill would create guidelines for reusing water from beer or wine processing for rinsing equipment and tanks. It also establishes water quality testing and treatment. The bill was introduced by Senator Scott Weiner (D-San Francisco) directs the State Water Board, in consultation with the California Department of Public Health – Food and Drug Branch, to develop regulations for microbiological, chemical, and physical water quality and treatment requirements for the onsite treatment and reuse of process water at breweries and wineries.

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Mayor Faulconer Urges San Diego To Join Suit Over Cross-Border Sewage

/in , /by /KPBSby Erik Anderson

The city of San Diego is poised to join the legal battle to stop the flow of pollution in waterways at the U.S.-Mexico border. San Diego officials appear poised to ratchet up pressure on the federal government. The City Council on Tuesday will discuss suing federal officials for failing to stop cross-border sewage flows. Mayor Kevin Faulconer said it’s time to act. “This problem has been around for far too long and we’ve worked very hard on the diplomatic approach on both sides of the border, and there’s been a lot of progress, but not enough progress,” he said.

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San Dieguito River Valley Conservancy To Host Volunteer Training

/in , /by /Patch (Del Mar)by Susan C. Schena

Locals interested in making a difference in their communities may wish to attend an upcoming event designed to share ways to inspire and educate youth about the San Dieguito Watershed. The San Dieguito River Valley Conservancy will hold the free volunteer training day, Saturday, March 2 from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at the Del Mar Branch Library, 1309 Camino Del Mar, 92014. Such topics as water-quality testing, animal tracking and student/trail safety are on the agenda. The non-profit SDRVC preserves and protects resources of the San Dieguito River Valley through collaborative efforts to acquire lands, complete trails, restore habitats, establish educational programs, create interpretive centers, encourage recreation and mobilize public support.

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It Can Be Hard To Tell Where The Water Authority Ends And A Powerful Law Firm Begins

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

Over the past two decades, the San Diego County Water Authority has paid $25 million to a single law firm. The firm, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, is known for its water law practice across the West. Locally, though, few people know of its influence.

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Rain Barrel Distribution Event Feb. 16: Barrels As Low As $25

/in , /by /Times-Advocate (Escondido)

Rincon del Diablo Municipal Water District (Rincon Water) invites you to a special one-day rain barrel distribution event on Saturday, February 16, from 9  a.m. to noon at 1920 North Iris Lane, Escondido. This event is co-hosted by Rincon Water, the Solana Center, the County of San Diego, the Garden, and the San Diego County Water Authority.

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