A fairly decent start to this year’s rainy season quickly dried up.
The Central Coast of California is a story of ebbs and flows, wet years and drought.
From man-made reservoirs to underground aquifers, we need to store rain that falls in wet years to help supply the never-ending demand for water during the dry years. But it’s a constant battle to make sure there’s enough set aside to go around.
The Department of Water Resources launched a new website to help Californians easily access information on local and statewide water conditions — down to their own region and even neighborhood.
The California Water Watch site was introduced Friday as the state reported the driest January and February since weather records have been kept.
The website provides real-time information on precipitation, temperature, reservoirs, snowpack, groundwater, streamflow, soil moisture and vegetation conditions as well as forecasts.
If this were the summer, it would hardly be worth mentioning. But the winter months are when the region expects to pick up a majority of its annual rainfall.
The good news is that despite this near-record long winter rainless streak, the season’s total rainfall (since Oct. 1) is still above average for Sacramento.
Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory is leading a research project to profile the concentration of lithium in the geothermal field beneath California’s Salton Sea, and to explore the most environmentally benign way to extract it.
Brine from the geothermal field is already pumped to the surface to generate geothermal power, and recirculated back underground. Lithium could be extracted from brine before it is pumped underground. Eleven geothermal plants are now operating in the Salton Sea, which Berkeley Lab describes as “pilot” operations.
Imperial Irrigation District has been negotiating with Hell’s Kitchen Geothermal, LLC (HKG) to transfer land near the Salton Sea to the company, plus allow geothermal drilling of the heated brine and mineral extraction.
Recently, IID entered into negotiations with HKG to transfer approximately 3,144 acres, which includes the 1,880 acres currently under lease with HKG. Documents showed at the IID’s regular Feb. 15, meeting that under the proposed transfer, IID would retain its rights to all subsurface resources, including geothermal and mineral resources.
An active weather pattern is in place across the western United States, AccuWeather forecasters say, and the arrival of a storm in the Northwest will eventually result in widespread impacts from California to the central and southern Rockies.
An area of low pressure was diving southeastward over the interior West on Tuesday. As the storm strengthens will moving into the Southwest region, areas of snow will break out and become locally heavy from the Sierra Nevada to the Rockies in Colorado and the various ranges in northern Arizona and New Mexico.
Amateur photographers turned their lenses on skies and streams, coyotes and cactus, and overlooked details in nature to produce seven winning images in the 15th annual Elfin Forest Recreational Reserve photo contest. The winners were announced at the Olivenhain Municipal Water District February 2022 board meeting.
The seven photos are now on display in the Elfin Forest Interpretive Center Honoring Susan J. Varty through April 30, 2022. The Escondido Creek Conservancy contributed printing services to showcase one of the North County’s favorite hiking spots.
The contest’s goal is to promote the importance of open space and wildlife habitat preservation. Talented amateur photographers get an opportunity to share images of the natural beauty protected at EFRR through a partnership between OMWD, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, and the San Diego County Water Authority.
“In the Details” by Christie Lothrop wins the “Plants” category. Photo: Olivenhain Municipal Water District
Contest entries assist in educating the public on local recreational opportunities and support EFRR’s mission to protect wildlife and natural resources.
“I think we have all come to appreciate the outdoors and nature a little more during the pandemic,” said OMWD Vice President Kristie Bruce-Lane. “The beautiful scenes depicted in these winning photos shine a light on the importance of open space so that future generations can experience and enjoy it.”
Winners were selected in five categories: Scenic View, Water Scenery, Plants, Animals, and Youth (under age 15). The public also selected a “People’s Choice” award winner by voting for their favorite among 12 entries posted on EFRR’s Facebook page. One photo received the “Best In Show” designation as the top photo.
“Serenity” by Peter Montgomery is the 2022 Elfin Forest Recreational Reserve Photo Contest “Best in Show.” Photo: Olivenhain Municipal Water District
The Scenic View category winner is “Above the Fog” by Brandon McDonald. Photo: Olivenhain Municipal Water District
Brandon McDonald won in a second category, Water Scenery, with “Morning Reflections.” Photo: Olivenhain Municipal Water District
These cuddling canines won the Animal category with “Reservoir Dogs Sleeping” by CJ Edingfield-Murphy. Photo: Olivenhain Municipal Water District
“Cactus” by Ashley Hahlen is the Youth category winner for photographers under age 15. Photo: Olivenhain Municipal Water District
Photographers received prizes including San Diego Zoo tickets, a 24″ x 36″ canvas print donated by PC Photo & Imaging, outdoor equipment donated by REI, and a $100 cash prize donated by Escondido Creek Conservancy.
The interpretive center is open daily from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., subject to docent availability.
EFRR offers approximately 11 miles of hiking, mountain biking, and equestrian trails, as well as picnic areas and scenic mountain viewing points. Open daily from 8 a.m. to approximately thirty minutes before sunset, EFRR is located at 8833 Harmony Grove Road in Escondido. Admission and parking are free. More information is available on its website.
(Editor’s note: The Olivenhain Municipal Water District is one of the San Diego County Water Authority’s 24 member agencies that deliver water across the metropolitan San Diego region.)
On January 29, 2022, City of Oceanside Water Utilities employees were honored at the annual California Water Environment Association (CWEA) San Diego awards banquet. Four City employees from the San Luis Rey Wastewater Treatment Plant were appointed to the CWEA Board, while another received a prestigious award for his outstanding service and exemplary work in the maintenance field. Mike Mensing, Mechanical Technologist I, was awarded the title of Mechanical Tech of the Year for the San Diego CWEA Section.
The recent dry weather in Northern California might be sticking around for a while.
The Climate Prediction Center forecasts a 77% chance La Niña conditions will continue through the month of May.
The term La Niña refers to a correlation between ocean water temperatures and winter weather patterns.
Oftentimes, the weather event brings wetter than normal conditions to the Pacific Northwest and drier weather to Southern California.
Most Marin County residents will once again be allowed to turn on their sprinklers following a nearly three-month ban.
The Marin Municipal Water District board voted unanimously on Tuesday to allow the district’s 191,000 residents in central and southern Marin to use outdoor sprinklers and drip irrigation two days per week. Outdoor irrigation using potable water supplies had been banned since Dec. 1 in response to the drought.
