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Report: 1 Out Of 5 California Schools Found Detectable Levels Of Lead In Drinking Water

Nearly one out of five California schools found detectable levels of lead in the drinking water, according to recent data from the State Water Board. Lead is linked to learning disabilities, behavior problems and many other health effects.

How to Compost the Right Way

You can make composting on-site a goal for your sustainable landscape maintenance to reduce waste and help the soil thrive. You’ll know when the compost is ready to use when it has an earthy smell, has cooled off, and doesn’t reheat when stirred. Next, look for a uniformly dark brown or even black color. You shouldn’t be able to identify any of the original particles.

Spread compost directly on the soil surface to use it as mulch. That can prevent erosion and help plants and soil filter pollution, such as hydrocarbons and metals from road surfaces. Most greenwaste-based composts can be applied to a depth of three inches. Use up to two inches of bio-solids.

If you don’t produce your own compost on site, get it from a reputable source that guarantees high quality. Commercially produced quality can vary significantly due to the diverse nature of feedstock, processes, and maturation standards.

Use compost to make healthier soil

For native plants in your sustainable landscaping, use roughly 15 percent compost by volume to repair disturbed or damaged soils.

Clay-based soil amended with compost leads to more productive and healthy plant growth at a lower cost than amending the same soil with the necessary 45 percent sand. Therefore, you can mix poor soils that are compacted, lifeless, or subsoils with about three to six cubic yards of high quality compost per 1,000 square feet to improve the soil structure.

If your compost is based on bio-solids, it can be high in ammonium nitrogen. Use this type of compost sparingly.  When using bio-solids, be sure you know exactly where they came from.

Read more at Gardening Know How: Composting With Biosolids: What Are Biosolids And What Are They Used For https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/composting/ingredients/composting-with-biosolids.htm

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.

Lake Jennings Photo Contest, Youth Category, 1st Place: Ryan Cobain, "Rainbow"

Helix Water District Selects 2019 Lake Jennings Photo Contest Winners

Helix Water District recently selected the winners of its 2019 Lake Jennings Spring Photo Contest. This year’s first place award in the adult category went to photographer Randy Siegel of Santee for his image titled “Sunrise Over Lake Jennings.”

Now in its eighth year, the contest drew 60 entries from throughout San Diego County. This year’s theme was “Life at the Lake,” and each of the entries highlighted the unique beauty of camping, fishing, hiking, spotting wildlife and enjoying the view at Lake Jennings.

Contestants were required to submit photos taken between March 1 and May 31, 2019, at the reservoir in Lakeside. The following photographers took top honors:

Helix Photo Contest, Adult Category 1st Place (Adult): Randy Siegel, "Sunrise Over Lake Jennings"

Lake Jennings Photo Contest, Adult Category First Place: Randy Siegel, “Sunrise Over Lake Jennings”

Adult Category:

1st Place – Randy Siegel, ‘Sunrise Over Lake Jennings’
2nd Place – Kurt Scherbaum, ‘Great Horned Owl’
3rd Place – Frances Schnall, ‘Patience’
Honorable Mention – Fred Kropveld, ‘Jennings Scenic 3’
Honorable Mention – Wes Van Fleet, ‘Awe and Creation’

Lake Jennings Photo Contest, Youth Category, 1st Place: Ryan Cobain, "Rainbow"

Lake Jennings Photo Contest, Youth Category, First Place: Ryan Cobain, “Rainbow”

Youth Category:
1st Place – Ryan Cobain, ‘Rainbow’
2nd Place – Cricht Ruediger, ‘Lake Jennings View Scape’
3rd Place – Aure Ruediger, ‘Lake Jennings Ducks and Anglers’
Honorable Mention – Luke Macy, ‘Silver Linings’
Honorable Mention – Jaden Cobain, ‘Rocks’

See all the winning photos in the gallery below.

The Helix Water District Board of Directors honored the winning photographers at an awards ceremony during its June 26 board meeting.

First place winner (Adult Category) Randy Siegel, receives congratulations from Dan McMillan, Helix Water District Board President. Photo: Helix Water District

First place winner (Adult Category) Randy Siegel, receives congratulations from Dan McMillan, Helix Water District Board President. Photo: Helix Water District

Lake Jennings is among the most scenic inland parks in San Diego County. Located in Lakeside, the recreation destination offers fishing, camping, hiking, and picnicking activities. The lake is a drinking water reservoir owned and operated by Helix Water District. The scenic views of the lake and the wooded surroundings put visitors in the middle of the wilderness, right outside of town.

The entire lake is open to the general public for fishing three days a week on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

The 97-space Lake Jennings Campground is open year-round for campers. The campground, located on the north side of Lake Jennings, has spaces for RVs, trailers, campers and tents. There is a day use fee for sight-seeing, hiking or picnicking per person.

Visit the Lake Jennings website for more information and to make reservations.

Water Authority Adopts $1.7 billion Budget

The San Diego County Water Authority’s board of directors adopted a $1.7 billion budget for fiscal years 2020 and 2021, representing a 5 percent increase from the prior two-year budget.

The Water Authority attributed the need for a more expensive budget due to increasing costs for water supply, supply reliability and infrastructure improvements.

OPINION: Farm Bureau Endorses Senate Water Legislation

Water legislation introduced in the U.S. Senate June 20 recognizes the continued crisis facing water reliability in the West, according to the California Farm Bureau Federation.

CFBF endorsed the Drought Resiliency and Water Supply Infrastructure Act by Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., who introduced the bipartisan legislation along with Sens. Cory Gardner, R-Colo., Martha McSally, R-Ariz., and Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz.

Council Candidate Patrick Batten Endorsed By Water Authority Chair

Former San Diego city council member and now San Diego County Water Authority board chair Jim Madaffer has endorsed Patrick Batten in the race for council District 5.

“I proudly endorse Patrick Batten because of his leadership and experience,” said Madaffer. “Before Patrick joined the Marine Corps he worked for the County of San Diego and the State Assembly handling policy issues, including water. His experience provides an understanding of the nuances of California’s water policy.”

 

 

Helix Water District Selects 2019 Lake Jennings Photo Contest Winners

Helix Water District recently selected the winners of its 2019 Lake Jennings Spring Photo Contest. This year’s first place award in the adult category went to photographer Randy Siegel of Santee for his image titled “Sunrise Over Lake Jennings.” Now in its eighth year, the contest drew 60 entries from throughout San Diego County. This year’s theme was “Life at the Lake,” and each of the entries highlighted the unique beauty of camping, fishing, hiking, spotting wildlife and enjoying the view at Lake Jennings.

Mexican Waters Eyed As Source To Save California’s Salton Sea

From sea to shining sea may take on a new meaning in California, as state officials are reviewing billion dollar plans to import water from Mexico’s Sea of Cortez to help raise water levels at the Salton Sea.Formed by floodwaters from the Colorado River, the Salton Sea has been declining for years. Its exposed playa—the bottom of a desert basin—blows in the twisting wind, sending dust into the air and contributing to high childhood asthma rates.

California Was Warned About Climate Change 30 Years Ago-Now It’s Feeling The Effects

Back in 1989, Californians received a sobering warning: The accumulation of heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere would likely bring more droughts, floods, fires and heat waves to the state.

In the 30 years since, those projections of what would happen in a warming world have proven to be remarkably prescient.”We’ve already observed some of the things we expected in 1989,” said Susan Fischer Wilhelm, a research manager at the California Energy Commission, the agency that compiled the report.

U.S. Mayors Adopt Resolution Calling for Increased Funding for Cross-border Sewage Solutions

The U.S. Conference of Mayors joined Coronado and San Diego today in calling for increased federal funding to tackle Mexico river pollution that plagues San Diego County beaches and other communities along the southern U.S. border.