With its reservoirs nearly refilled, the Marin Municipal Water District is considering delaying a proposed $100 million project to build an emergency water pipeline across the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge.
In Arizona, verdant fields of crops and a growing sprawl of suburban homes mean a sharp demand for water in the middle of the desert. Meeting that demand includes drawing from massive stores of water in underground aquifers. But some experts say they’re overtaxed, and shouldn’t be seen as a long-term solution for a region where the water supply is expected to shrink in the decades to come.
For more than a century, a system of government and legal agreements has largely resolved water disputes among those living in America’s most arid region of the country.
The methods of conflict resolution were at work in December when water bosses in California, Nevada and Arizona agreed to cut their use of Colorado River water to avoid penalties under a compact that divvies up the river among seven western states and Mexico.
The State Grid Corporation of China, which is China’s largest state-owned grid operator and power utility, has commissioned, last week, the 3.6GW Fengning Pumped Storage Power Station, a pumped-storage hydroelectric power station located in Hebei province.
The construction of the $1.87 billion project, which was implemented in two 1.8GW phases, was started by engineering company China Gezhouba Group Company Limited in 2014.
According to attorney and water policy expert Felicia Marcus, who is also the William C. Landreth Visiting Fellow at Stanford University, regional officials hope to purify this groundwater and are also actively pursuing collaborations with local water districts in order to obtain clean drinking water for its residents.
South Orange County, though, is not affected by this dilemma as at least 90% of its water is imported.
From her first day on the job at Vallecitos Water District in 1988, Dawn McDougle knew that she wanted to finish her career at the San Marcos-based water agency. McDougle accomplished her goal, officially retiring on December 23, 2021.
McDougle’s dedication, innovation, and commitment to the community have paid off in many ways over three decades, including recognition in 1993 as the California Water Education Association of San Diego Laboratory Person of the Year, and again by CWEA in 2018 as the Supervisor of the Year. But McDougle’s impressive career needed a kickstart from fate.
Lifelong learning is one of Dawn McDougle’s keys to career success. Photo: Vallecitos Water District
McDougle interviewed at the City of Escondido for a meter reader position but didn’t get the position.
“The city called me later and asked if I would be interested in a part-time position as a laboratory technician assistant,” she said. “Of course, I said yes. When I went to the interview at the wastewater treatment plant, I found it very interesting and wanted to know more. I got the job and from there I learned as much as I could from the biologists and chemists.”
From her first job as an Industrial Waste Technician, McDougle was promoted to Laboratory Director. After two years working at the Encina Wastewater Authority, McDougle returned to Vallecitos Water District and was promoted to Wastewater Treatment Plant Supervisor in 2000, where she remained until retiring at the end of 2021.
At the Meadowlark Reclamation Facility, McDougle played a major role in the $30 million expansion and upgrade of the facility, extending its lifespan beyond 2030. The facility produces recycled water for golf courses at La Costa and the Four Seasons Resort Aviara in Carlsbad, several school sites, and Legoland California. McDougle kept the existing plant operating while implementing innovations allowing it to increase capacity while at the same time reducing chemical and energy costs. The facility successfully reached its output goal of five million gallons per day.
Women did not often pursue water and wastewater careers when Dawn McDougle was originally hired. Photo: Vallecitos Water District
McDougle started at Vallecitos as an industrial waste technician at a time when few women performed this work. She advanced her career by taking classes and earning certifications – and she helped others by mentoring and coaching them along the way. McDougle says she knew from the first day she arrived she wanted to finish her career at Vallecitos.
Lifelong learning is one of Dawn McDougle’s keys to career success. Photo: Vallecitos Water District
“Looking back, the most surprising thing about my career that stands out the most is how our people provided so much support,” said McDougle. “I was always in awe of the great people in this industry. Outsiders don’t understand what goes into keeping operations all moving while keeping the environment protected. They [staff] are always on call no matter when: evenings, weekends, and holidays.”
McDougle said her goal as a supervisor was to share information, but also to learn from her staff as well.
She says her best career advice for others pursuing water and wastewater industry careers is to pursue ongoing education.“Work hard and achieve the highest certifications you can. Listen and learn. There is so much knowledge to be passed down. And keep an open mind.”
Dawn McDougle frequently led tours of the Meadowlark Reclamation Facility for visitors. Photo: Vallecitos Water District
McDougle admits to “pinching myself on how fortunate I am to have been part of this career field, and advance.” Now, McDougle says she plans to spend time with family, travel, play golf and paddleboard, and take up new hobbies.
“As much as I enjoyed my career and being responsible for the facility the last 22 years, it is time for relaxation,” said McDougle.
McDougle said her goal was to transfer all her knowledge to the Meadowlark staff, “not only for them but for the district. It’s my responsibility.”
McDougle’s legacy is a career spent making sure the Vallecitos Water District’s facilities live up to their promise to the community.
(Editor’s note: The Vallecitos Water District is one of the San Diego County Water Authority’s 24 member agencies that deliver water across the metropolitan San Diego region.)
North San Diego County fire agencies teamed up with Olivenhain Municipal Water District in early December for confined space training drills. The drills prepare firefighting professionals to respond to emergencies in facilities such as water or wastewater treatment plants and are required to maintain their confined space certification.
More precipitation has fallen on California during its current “water year” than in the full prior 12-month span, the National Weather Service says.
The downpours and mountain storms of recent weeks have helped boost the state’s precipitation volume to 33.9 trillion gallons thus far for the water year that began Oct. 1, compared to the previous water year’s 33.6 trillion gallons, the service said Sunday. Lake Tahoe by comparison contains roughly 40 trillion gallons.
It’s a brand new year, and perhaps you have hopeful resolutions in mind—losing weight, getting politically active, leaving your house more often.
But when you look over your shoulder, the demon that was 2021 is lurking behind you. In its eyes is the pandemic that kept you in your house for way too long, on its breath are the flames that nearly burned down your favorite part of the Sierra, the sweltering heat from last summer, and the wildfire smoke choking out the space in your lungs.
Wendell Berry famously said that eating is an agricultural act. That makes all of us into farmers, and nowhere is that more true than in water terms.
For farming is irreducibly the process of mixing dirt, water and sunshine to bring forth from the ground what we need to eat. And no matter who you are, it’s true: somebody, somewhere, must devote a lot of water to the process of feeding you.
