You are now in Media Coverage San Diego County category.

Top 10 Tips For Saving Water This Summer

/in , /by /Water News Network

The start of summer brings the hottest, driest months of the year in San Diego County and a good time to remind residents of the Top 10 tips for using water more efficiently.Check it out. Inspect irrigation equipment to eliminate overspray. Monitor soil moisture using a spade or soil probe, and only water if the top inch of soil is dry. Irrigate turf if it doesn’t spring back when stepped on. Better yet, upgrade to a “smart” irrigation controller that automatically adjusts water times based on weather conditions.

Full Story

Paying The Toll On Sea Level Rise

/in , /by /The San Diego Union Tribune by Deborah Sullivan Brennan

Defending San Diego County against rising seas would cost about $1 billion, according to a new study that estimated that the cost of coastal armoring would be at least $22 billion for California, and more than $400 billion for the United States as a whole. And that’s just a “minimum down payment for short-term defense against rising seas in California,” says the study released today by the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Climate Integrity and the environmental engineering firm Resilient Analytics.

 

 

Full Story

Port of Hueneme Installs Seabin To Clean The Ocean Of Unwanted Litter

/in , /by /The Logby Devon Warren-Kachelein

Port of Hueneme is taking action to keep their waters clean. The port, over Memorial Day weekend, installed a revolutionary new device, known as a Seabin, to collect trash in the ocean. The Port of Hueneme announced on its official Twitter page: “The Seabin started operation this weekend at the Port – a “trash skimmer” installed in a water body and acting as a floating garbage bin skimming the surface of the water by pumping water into the device. Keeping our waters clean and our environment green!’

Full Story

Controlled Burns Scheduled For MCAS Miramar

/in , /by /NBC 7 San Diegoby R. Stickney

Several controlled burns will take place Thursday at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar to help clear brush in the event of a wildfire. The prescribed fires were expected to happen between 9:30 a.m. and 4 p.m., military officials said. Drivers along Interstate 15 and other roads near the base may see smoke and flames. MCAS Miramar Fire Stations 61 and 62, alongside local San Diego fire departments will conduct the burns.

Full Story
Top 10 Tips for Saving Water This Summer improve your irrigation

Top 10 Tips for Saving Water This Summer

/in , /by

The start of summer brings the hottest, driest months of the year in San Diego County and a good time to remind residents of the Top 10 tips for using water more efficiently.

Top 10 tips to use water more efficiently

Check it out. Inspect irrigation equipment to eliminate overspray. Monitor soil moisture using a spade or soil probe, and only water if the top inch of soil is dry. Irrigate turf if it doesn’t spring back when stepped on. Better yet, upgrade to a “smart” irrigation controller that automatically adjusts water times based on weather conditions. Rebates for a variety of irrigation equipment are at WaterSmartSD.org.

Let it sink in. Irrigate mature trees once or twice a month using a soaker hose or drip system toward the edge of the tree canopy – not at the base of the tree. Use a hose faucet timer (found at hardware stores) to prevent overwatering. Young trees need more frequent irrigation; consult an arborist or tree-care manual for details.

Maintain your mulch (and compost). Keeping a 3-inch layer of mulch around trees and plants reduces runoff, helps control weeds and protects soil from direct sunlight and evaporation. Keep mulch at least a foot away from tree trunks and several inches from the crowns of plants. Also, add compost to increase soil nutrients.

Use water efficiently

Drink responsibly. Keep drinking water cool in your refrigerator to avoid running the tap. Use refillable water bottles instead of buying disposable plastic bottles.

Put a lid on it. Pool and spa covers reduce evaporation, lower pool heating costs and keep dirt and other debris out of the pool.

Let your lawn grow

Take a break. New plants need more water to get established, so wait until fall and winter for planting to take advantage of cooler temperatures and rain.

Go to summer school. Get started planning your WaterSmart landscape by surfing WaterSmart Landscaping Videos On Demand from the comfort of your beach chair or sofa.

Let your lawn grow. Set your mower to leave grass at least 3 inches high because taller blades reduce evaporation up to 80 percent and protect roots from heat.

Keep it clean. Patronize car washes that recycle water and save at least 15 gallons each time. When washing at home, use a hose nozzle that shuts off when you release the handle.

Rinse right. Wash fruits and vegetables in a bowl of water instead of in running water. Afterward, pour the collected water on a plant.

More information on how residents and business can use water efficiently, along with rebates, classes and other water-saving resources, at WaterSmartSD.org

IID Board Hears Plans To Pipe QSA Water Directly To San Diego

/in , , /by /The Desert Review (Brawley, Calif.)by Betty Miller Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

After false starts and real stops, the San Diego County Water Authority is once again trying to make inroads into taking their QSA transferred water directly from the Imperial Valley, bypassing its current deliverer, the Metropolitan Water District. Dan Denham, assistant general manager of the SDCWA, proposed several pipeline scenarios for QSA-conserved water at the meeting of the Imperial Irrigation District Tuesday, June 18. Denham proposed several pipeline routes, two southern and one northern from various points in the Valley to San Diego County.

Full Story

DWR Gives $10 Million Grant To Monterey Peninsula Desalination Project

/in , /by /KSBW 8 (Salinas, Calif.)by Josh Copitch

The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) announced they will provide a $10 million grant to public utility, California American Water. The grant money is destined to help build the seawater desalination component of the Peninsula Water Supply Project. “We are extremely grateful to DWR for supporting our project,” said California American Water president Rich Svindland. The Monterey Peninsula Water Supply Project is a $329 million project featuring a portfolio of water supply components to address the area’s water needs. Since 2005, DWR has completed three rounds of funding using Proposition 50 funds.

Full Story

Make Room For More June Gloom

/in , /by /The San Diego Union Tribune by Robert Krier

Summer heat is coming. Eventually. But for the next few days, cool, cloudy and perhaps drippy weather is in store for much of San Diego County. June gloom will get gloomier.
A trough of low pressure moving over the West Coast is expected to beef up the marine layer Thursday through Saturday. The coast should see little or no clearing on Friday, and light rain or drizzle is possible during the morning from the beaches to the mountains. Strong winds are expected in the mountains and desert, where gusts could reach 50 mph this afternoon and Friday afternoon. Blowing dust could reduce visibility in the desert.

Full Story

OPINION: Broad Opposition To Trump Tariffs — From Almond Growers To Toilet Makers — Is No Surprise

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

President Donald Trump’s depiction of U.S. tariffs as a painless way to help U.S. exports get fair treatment has never jibed with reality. Now California’s almond farmers, who provide 80% of the world’s supply, are taking another hit as a result. India — the world’s leading importer of almonds — has imposed a retaliatory tariff of 70% on U.S. almonds and other U.S. imports. China — another major importer of almonds — imposed a 50% tariff on U.S. almonds last July.

Full Story

Sweetwater Authority Approves $46 Million Budget For Next Fiscal Year

/in , /by /San Diego Union-Tribuneby David Hernandez

The Sweetwater Authority anticipates that it will buy less imported water and supply customers with more from its own water supply in the upcoming fiscal year than in 2018-19, thanks primarily to above-average rainfall. The South Bay water agency estimates that the amount it will spend to purchase water will drop from $15.2 million in 2018-19 to $10 million in the fiscal year that begins in July. The projected decrease is reflected in the $46 million operating budget adopted by the governing board last week. Among notable increases in expenses in the 2019-20 spending plan, the Sweetwater Authority expects an 11 percent increase in employer pension contributions and an 8 percent increase in health insurance costs.

Full Story