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OPINION: Valley Voice: Regional Effort Puts Water Solutions in Place for the Coachella Valley

/in , , /by /Desert Sun (Palm Springs)by Berlinda Blackburn

Behind the scenes, the valley’s public water agencies have been working together to earn grants and improve water management for our entire region.

In 2008, they formed the Coachella Valley Regional Water Management Group (Regional Group) to:

  • reduce water demand;
  • increase our region’s water supply;
  • improve regional water quality;
  • serve as stewards of our shared water resource, and;
  • improve efficiency and flexibility.
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Possible Lightning Strike Sets Brush Ablaze Near Murrieta, Schools Closed

/in , /by /KPBS

A wind-driven wildfire that may have been started by a lightning strike had scorched nearly 1,400 acres just west of Murrietta, prompted evacuations and the closure of schools and was 7% contained Thursday morning.

The blaze was first reported about 3:55 p.m. Wednesday in the area of Clinton Keith and Tenaja roads, in the unincorporated community of La Cresta, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.

In the course of an hour Wednesday night, the fire exploded from 250 acres burned to nearly 1,000 acres, the fire department said.

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Calexico Mayor Has ‘Productive’ Inaugural Meetings on Census, Homeless

/in , /by /Imperial Valley Weeklyby Richard Montenegro Brown

Calexico city officials and homeless advocates set a proposed short-term agenda that includes focusing efforts to expand and renovate the Catholic Charities men’s shelter in the city and establishing a combination homeless shelter and cooling center downtown, Mayor Bill Hodge said.

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Progress Made on Calexico Sewer and Water Plant Upgrades

/in , /by /Imperial Valley Weeklyby Richard Montenegro Brown

Although preliminary work and the replacement of aging water lines are already underway, the bulk of about $40 million in upgrades to Calexico’s water and wastewater treatment plants won’t start until 2020, a city official explained. The process to reach the point of construction is a lengthy one, but the city is making steady progress, Assistant City Manager Miguel Figueroa said.

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Local coalition plans town hall to discuss possible West Basin desalination plant

/in , /by /The Beach Reporterby Kristen Farmer

A coalition of local conservation groups is hosting a town hall about a proposed desalination plant in El Segundo that has garnered controversy since it was first proposed more than a decade ago.

West Basin Municipal Water District plans to vote on the $400 million project by the end of this year, according to the Bruce Reznik, executive director of Los Angeles Waterkeeper – part of a coalition that includes Heal the Bay, Desal Response Group, Southbay Surfrider Foundation – that comprises Smarter Water LA.

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The ‘Dog Days Of Summer’ Will Afflict San Diego Until Friday

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

Feeling cranky? Blame it on the monsoon.

Moist, unstable air from northern Mexico is flowing into San Diego County, raising the heat and humidity to uncomfortable levels and sparking a few spectacular thunderstorms.

One of those cells unexpectedly pushed into downtown San Diego shortly before 3 p.m. on Wednesday, producing big booms, bright bolts and enough rain to briefly slow traffic on city streets.

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Farmers Concerned Over How Mandatory Water Cuts From Colorado River Will impact Agriculture

/in , , /by /Fox Newsby Benjamin Brown

Two western states are imposing mandatory water cuts because the Colorado River, which supplies water to 40 million people and about 5 million acres of land across seven states, has dropped to alarmingly low levels.

Nevada and Arizona, concerned that a 20-year drought has dried up much of the river, are trying to rein in water use in an effort to save the disappearing river.

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Making California’s Water Supply Resilient

/in , , /by /Phys.Orgby Michelle Horton

As with the stock market, climate change requires a diversified portfolio of solutions. California Gov. Gavin Newsom recently signed an executive order to develop a comprehensive strategy for making the state’s water system climate-resilient. The order calls for a broad portfolio of collaborative strategies to deal with outdated water infrastructure, unsafe drinking water, flood risks and depleted groundwater aquifers.

In a related study published earlier this year, Stanford researchers Newsha Ajami and Patricia (Gonzales) Whitby examined effective strategies to rising water scarcity concerns. Ajami is director of Urban Water Policy at Stanford’s Water in the West program and a hydrologist specializing in sustainable water resource management.

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Reps. Levin, Peters Urge Congress To Say No Drilling Off California Coast

/in , /by /KPBSby Erik Anderson

California Reps. Scott Peters, D-San Diego, and Mike Levin, D-Dana Point, have co-sponsored legislation aimed at blocking a Trump administration plan to sell new offshore oil leases in U.S. coastal waters.

The measure, HR 1941 creates a permanent ban on offshore drilling around the country and it is getting a hearing in the House of Representatives.

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Dana Point Deploys More Sand Bags In Emergency Effort To Save Storm Drain, Water Treatment Facility In Battle Against Erosion

/in , /by /The Orange County Registerby Laylan Connelly

Save as much as we can, for as long as we can.

That’s the new motto for Toni Nelson, who heads the community advocacy group Capo Cares, as the Dana Point resident pushes for the continual effort to save Capistrano Beach before it disappears into the sea – much of it has in recent years.

Work kicked off recently to add more than 500 sand cubes to a stretch of Dana Point, an emergency measure to save a city storm drain and water quality treatment facility that also inadvertently is helping a portion of pathway used frequently by walkers, joggers and bikers that is in danger of crumbling

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