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New Sprinklers Will Soon Be More Expensive In California. Here’s Why

Californians, your yard sprinklers are about to get a little bit more expensive. The good news is, your water bill is about to get cheaper. California on Wednesday officially adopted new regulations which are estimated to save more than 400 million gallons of water per day within 10 years, enough to supply San Diego, the second largest city in the state, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council. Beginning in 2020, spray sprinklers will be required to be sold with a component that restricts the water flow to as close as possible to 30 pounds per square inch (PSI), the manufacturer-recommended level.

Southern California Water Portfolio

This region has made tremendous strides toward diversifying its water portfolio. In Riverside County, groundwater desalination is moving forward to take full advantage of all available sources of water. Plans for Water Banking, which will take Northern California water imported during wet years to restore local aquifers for use during dry years, are also progressing.

New CA Lawn Sprinkler Standards = Huge Water & Energy Savings

California officials today adopted one of the most important and consequential water-saving measures ever implemented by any state, establishing an efficiency standard for new spray sprinklers that will reduce irrigation system misting and overspray that is common around urban landscapes. It’s a huge step given that nearly half of all of California’s drinking water is used outdoors, primarily for landscape irrigation.

UCLA To Lead $10 Million California Conservation Project

UCLA scientists are leading a $10 million project to help California officials make ecologically wise decisions as the state continues to confront the effects of climate change.

The California Conservation Genomics Project, which is funded by the state, will involve conservation biologists, geneticists, ecologists and climate scientists from all 10 University of California campuses, the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and Los Alamos National Laboratory, the UC Natural Reserve System and California State University campuses, as well as officials from state and federal regulatory agencies and nongovernment agencies, such as The Nature Conservancy. It is intended to run through 2022 or 2023.

New Mapping Reveals Lost West Coast Estuary Habitat

An unprecedented survey has revealed the loss of about 85 percent of historical tidal wetlands in California, Oregon, and Washington. The report, published today in PLOS ONE, also highlights forgotten estuary acreage that might now be targeted for restoration.

Where West Coast rivers reach the sea, estuaries serve as critical nurseries for juvenile salmon and steelhead as they make the transition from freshwater to the ocean.

NID Program Looks To Protect Local Reservoirs From Invasive Aquatic Mussels

With boating season in high gear, efforts continue to protect local reservoirs from aquatic invasive species. Nevada Irrigation District (NID) is working to keep quagga and zebra mussels out of its reservoirs through boater education and a self-inspection program, as well as quarterly monitoring at Scotts Flat, Rollins and Combie reservoirs. No quagga or zebra mussels have been detected, according NID Hydrographer Ashley Vander Meer.

Technology Offers Options To Farmers

Amid employee shortages, groundwater issues and other challenges, farmers in Monterey County and elsewhere are looking to the tech sector to help them bring their crops to market.

Parker Jones is one of those seeking to help farmers do more with less. Two months ago, he launched a custom-farming operation, Hermanos Automated Services, renting out a weeding machine that largely replaces hand labor in lettuce fields. It’s made by British-based Garford Farm Machinery.

Excessive Heat Warning Issued As Sacramento Valley Temperatures Trend Toward 110

The National Weather Service has issued an excessive heat warning throughout most of interior Northern California for the rest of the week, as the Central Valley is expected to swelter in the mid-to-high triple digits.

The heat warning is in place 11 a.m. Wednesday through 10 p.m. Friday. During that time, highs across Sacramento Valley cities including Redding, Chico, Yuba City, Oroville, Stockton, Modesto and Lakeport are expected to range from about 100 to 110 degrees.

Is A California Solar+Storage Boom About To Happen?

CAISO has warned state regulators that there could be a 4.7 GW capacity shortfall in 2022, in the early evening hours of the annual peak demand events of September. The grid operator has suggested alteration of water cooling laws, as well as increased procurement of resources.

Toxic Algae Has Killed Dogs Across The U.S. This Summer. Now California Is On Alert

Toxic, blue-green algae blooms that poisoned dogs across the country this summer with deadly results have California water officials on alert for the dangerous bacteria.

The bacteria are blamed for the deaths of three dogs after a swim in a Wilmington, N.C., pond that contained the algae beds, reported Raleigh-Durham television station WTVD-TV on Monday. The North Carolina dogs began having seizures at home and were dead within hours, according to the report. Another three dogs in Austin, Texas perished after swimming in a lake there earlier this month, city officials said.