You may have heard the saying from the Ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus, “No man steps in the same river twice, for it is not the same river and he is not the same man.” If you walk along a coastal stream in California at the end of the summer, you will understand the dynamic nature of these systems. In a wet year, such as 2017, you might find a stream that is fully connected with flowing water. But in a dry year, like 2021, you might walk miles of dry stream channel before discovering an isolated pool. Many of California’s streams naturally become intermittent at some point in the dry season. However, when and where stream channels go dry is highly variable year-to-year and difficult to predict (van Meerveld et al., 2020).
https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.png00Mike Leehttps://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.pngMike Lee2022-03-14 10:04:132022-03-14 10:22:08Between a Rock and a Dry Place: Effects of Drought on Stream Drying Patterns in California’s Intermittent Streams
On the day we spring forward, actual springtime is only a week or so off. And with it, the chances of winter-like storms drift away like spring blossoms on flowering trees.
Except we haven’t had any winter storms since December, thereby missing out on any appreciable rainfall for more almost three months, which historically are three of the four wettest months.
And that’s a problem for Santa Cruz County and for California.
https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.png00Mike Leehttps://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.pngMike Lee2022-03-14 10:03:462022-03-14 10:22:17Opinion: With Another Drought, Water Conservation and Reclamation Projects Are Vital
The official stats are in: January and February were the driest first two months of the year on record across much of California. Those months should normally be the wettest period of the year.
February was also unusually warm. In Southern California, the warm readings were repeatedly accompanied by Santa Ana winds. These conditions dried out vegetation after an uncommonly wet December in the state and spurred winter wildfires such as the Emerald fire in Laguna Beach.
https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.png00Mike Leehttps://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.pngMike Lee2022-03-14 10:02:182022-03-14 10:22:24Why It’s Been So Warm and Windy in Southern California This Winter
Two weeks ago, experts predicted that Lake Powell — the second-largest man-made reservoir in the nation — will soon drop below critical water levels. With over three million people in danger of losing hydropower, it’s yet another bleak reminder that the Colorado River is drying up.
The Colorado River, which flows into Lake Powell on the Arizona and Utah border, originates at 10,184 feet above sea level on La Poudre Pass in the southern Rocky Mountains. In total, 40 million people gain water access from the river, and countless farms are irrigated along the way.
https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.png00Mike Leehttps://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.pngMike Lee2022-03-14 10:01:532022-03-14 10:22:36Opinion: Amid growing water shortages, Colorado’s agricultural scene must change
Fix a Leak Week is a time to check indoor and outdoor plumbing systems for leaks. This year’s reminder about water conservation comes as California and much of the U.S. Southwest are in the third consecutive year of drought.
Minor water leaks account for more than one-trillion gallons of water wasted each year in homes across the United States. One-trillion gallons equals 3.068 million acre-feet, nearly enough water to meet the needs of San Diego County for seven years.
Fix a Leak Week started in 2009 by the Environmental Protection Agency’s WaterSense program to educate water users and promote the importance of repairing leaks to conserve and protect the water supply.
The week highlighting water conservation is supported by regional WaterSense partners throughout North America, including the San Diego County Water Authority, its 24 member agencies and water agencies throughout the country.
Fix a Leak Week 2022 resources
The Water Authority won its third WaterSense award for Excellence in Collaboration and Promoting WaterSense Labeled Products in 2021.
The Water Authority also partnered with San Diego Gas and Electric to install nearly 4,000 WaterSense labeled showerheads for residents in the area and helped residents save water outdoors through its WaterSmart Contractor Incentive Program, which installed more than 1,000 WaterSense labeled irrigation controllers to achieve six million gallons in water savings
Repairing a leaky toilet can save up to 500 gallons of water a day. In just a month, that’s enough to fill a backyard swimming pool.
The Vallecitos Water District and City of San Marcos are partnering to provide Fix a Leak resources to its customers, including a new website, bill statements, and a demonstration video. It features San Marcos Mayor Rebecca Jones showing a simple method for detecting a toilet leak.
The Sweetwater Authority will participate in Fix a Leak Week 2022, offering tips for consumers and rebates of up to $75 for leak repairs made through June 30. See its website for details and an application. Sweetwater customers can schedule a free water audit by calling the Water Efficiency Hotline at 619-409-6779 or email
Simple fixes save water and costs
Spending a little time during Fix a Leak Week 2022 to repair simple leaks saves water and costs. Photo: Pixabay
Common water leaks such as leaky showerheads or dripping faucets are often easy to fix, requiring common tools and hardware that can pay for themselves in water savings. How much? According to the EPA Fix a Week Leak website, each average household with unaddressed leaks can account for 10,000 gallons of water loss every year, enough to wash 300 loads of laundry.
Investing just 10 minutes to perform a quick search of your home and fixing them can save an additional 10% on your water bill.
Check WaterSmartSD.org for tips, rebates, and more information about Fix a Leak Week.
(Editor’s note: The Vallecitos Water District and Sweetwater Authority are two of the San Diego County Water Authority’s 24 member agencies that deliver water across the metropolitan San Diego region.)
https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Fix-A-Leak-Jones-845X450.jpg450845Gayle Falkenthalhttps://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.pngGayle Falkenthal2022-03-11 15:39:532022-03-11 16:23:04Invest In Water Conservation During Fix a Leak Week 2022
The start of this year has been the driest in California’s history. With the severe drought now in a third year, the state faces depleted reservoirs, a meager snowpack in the Sierra Nevada and a worsening water shortage on the Colorado River.
Under sunny blue skies in Sacramento, where it hasn’t rained in two months, officials stood Thursday in front of a mulch-covered garden and appealed for Californians to save water.
https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.png00Chelsea Camposhttps://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.pngChelsea Campos2022-03-11 10:35:512022-03-11 10:36:16With No Respite From Drought, Officials Call Upon Californians to Conserve Water
The West is far from the only region experiencing remarkably dry weather so far this year. According to Thursday’s report from the US Drought Monitor, more than 61% of the contiguous US is in some classification of drought. It is the largest portion of the country in a state of drought since 2012, the year when the continental US saw an all-time record of 65% during September.
https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.png00Chelsea Camposhttps://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.pngChelsea Campos2022-03-11 10:34:202022-03-11 10:45:19Size of Drought in US Increased by the Area of California in the Past Month
While the progress of the Doheny Ocean Desalination Project appears to now be gaining steam, South Coast Water District staff members are aware of the process’ tediousness.
The project, which would construct a facility on SCWD-owned property near San Juan Creek to draw water through the ocean, remove all the salt, and distribute clean drinking water throughout the district—including Dana Point and partnering entities—has been in the works for more than 15 years.
https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.png00Chelsea Camposhttps://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.pngChelsea Campos2022-03-11 10:33:162022-03-11 10:37:01Tapping In: Water District Seeks Partner for Ocean Desal Project
The optimism spurred by heavy snowstorms in December has melted away, and the 2022 water year is now looking bleak.
After facing the driest recorded January and February in state history, California Department of Water Resources reported that statewide, the snowpack stood at 63% of average for the date last week after conducting the agency’s third manual snow survey of the year.
https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.png00Mike Leehttps://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.pngMike Lee2022-03-11 10:32:122022-03-11 10:37:102022 Water Year Looks Dismal as Snowpack Melts
On the 50th anniversary of the Clean Water Act, we should celebrate its successes. San Francisco has stopped the dumping of raw sewage into the Bay. Rivers no longer catch on fire due to flammable contaminants. Wildlife has returned to once abandoned estuaries and wetlands. California has made great strides in protecting our waters for swimming, fishing, and other human activities — in affluent areas.
https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.png00Chelsea Camposhttps://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.pngChelsea Campos2022-03-11 10:31:482022-03-11 10:41:52Opinion: California Has Work to Do to Provide Clean Water for All
