American Canyon is making urgent calls for water conservation and suing Vallejo over a water disagreement as it tries to eke out every drop amid a historic drought.
The city’s water supplies are on the edge. Demand in recent years is about 2,800-acre feet of water annually. City officials estimate a potential 470 acre-foot deficit this year if demand remains the same.
As I drive across my family’s farm in the San Joaquin Valley, it feels as if I’m traveling on a chessboard. I cross one square with crops and then another without crops — our fields that must lay fallow. Our farm’s crops have been decimated by the drought.
Last year, reduced water deliveries in the state led to 395,000 acres of cropland being idled, according to UC Merced researchers, and about 8,750 agricultural workers lost their jobs.
The Salton Sea Independent Review Panel has 3 viable ideas to restore the Salton Sea.
In a press release, the Independent Review Panel announced that there were 18 concepts submitted through “Request for Ideas” in 2017 and 2021. Of those 18 ideas, three made it to the top of the list. And one is to import water from the Sea of Cortez, a large body of water in Mexico.
State Fish and Wildlife Department officials have awarded a $1 million grant to the San Diego Association of Governments for planning the restoration of the Buena Vista Lagoon at the Oceanside-Carlsbad border.
The $1 million announced last month comes on top of $3 million the state Wildlife Conservation Board awarded in December to SANDAG, which oversees planning and contracting for the proposed cleanup of the stagnant 220-acre lagoon.
San Diego County Water Authority General Manager Sandra L. Kerl is taking the reins as board chair of California Urban Water Agencies (CUWA), a nonprofit corporation that supports development of sound water policy statewide.
The Water Authority is one of 11 member agencies of CUWA that are collectively responsible for serving drinking water to about two-thirds of California’s population. As the united voice for the state’s largest urban water purveyors, CUWA provides a technical perspective to promote common understanding and consensus-based solutions for urban water issues.
Chula Vista homeowners Bryan and Denee Felber earned “Best in District” honors as the winner of the Otay Water District’s 2022 WaterSmart Landscape Contest. Converting 2,143 square feet of turf to a drought-tolerant garden in 2015 continues to save water and pay off for the Felbers while beautifying their neighborhood.
The Felbers live in the District’s division 4, represented by Board Director and Treasurer Jose Lopez.
A dry riverbed helps redirect water runoff away from sidewalks and storm drains. Photo: Otay Water District
“Otay is proud to see that our contest winners have taken the necessary steps to limit their outdoor water use and make their home drought resilient,” said Jose Lopez. “Now that our region is facing dry conditions, we encourage customers to do the same by taking full advantage of the programs and rebates available, which will make a significant difference in preserving our local water supply.”
Bryan and Denee Felber’s property before the landscaping redesign. Photo: Otay Water District
Maintenance demands and high costs to keep their lawn vibrant and green motivated the Felbers to make a change, beginning in 2015. They started by participating in the San Diego County Water Authority’s WaterSmart Landscape Makeover Program, which teaches residents how to create and maintain a beautiful yard suiting their needs while also saving water. The Felbers used what they learned during the planning stages of their project.
Bryan and Denee Felber’s home after the landscaping redesign. Photo: Otay Water District
The landscape makeover qualified for turf rebates through the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and the Water Authority. They received a rebate to replace 5,007 square feet of their front and back yards and later replaced 202 square feet of turf in a side yard.
A new drip irrigation system replaced spray nozzles. Plants are watered on an automated schedule three days a week. When rain is expected, the system is turned off or delayed for a few days. A dry riverbed running across the landscape captures and directs rainfall, minimizing water runoff.
The Felbers used beautiful low-water-use plants to replace more than 2,000 square feet of turf. Photo: Otay Water District
The completed landscape allowed the Felbers to reduce their overall water use by approximately 33% compared to the years before upgrading.
When asked if they recommend others to consider upgrading their yards, Bryan Felber responded, “Absolutely!”
“It’s easier and requires much less time to maintain, and it saves money,” said Bryan. “Designed well, it can be beautiful with far less water, reducing water demand and preserving its supply.”
The Otay Water District board of directors will recognize the couple at its August meeting with a certificate of recognition, a gift certificate to a local nursery of their choice, a yard sign, and other promotional items.
(Editor’s note: The Otay Water District is one of the San Diego County Water Authority’s 24 member agencies that deliver water across the metropolitan San Diego region.)
All Californians play a role in preserving and enhancing our water supplies for a drought-resilient future. California again is in a familiar state of drought, although not all communities are affected equally.
Some regions are in extreme water shortage; others are not. We must address these differences. That starts with all Californians understanding where their water comes from and what they can do to use it wisely.
Here’s a look at the status of California’s reservoirs during another drought:
There has not been much good news about California’s water supply lately, but there could be some relief on the way. The North-of-Delta Offstream Storage project, often referred to as the planned Sites Reservoir, was authorized by Congress in 2003. The long delayed project got a financial boost in March when the federal government signaled its intent to loan the project nearly $2.2 billion — about half of the cost to design, plan and build it.
Successfully installing WaterSmart Living irrigation starts long before you get out your tools. You need to complete an assessment of your landscape plan’s specific water needs, draw a complete plan showing the layout, then select your irrigation and purchase your irrigation equipment. If your soil needs amendments (and it almost certainly does), you must get this done first. With all of this important prep work complete, you can start to implement the design.
Irrigation is an essential part of any good landscape design. It ensures plants and trees get the water they need to thrive without wasting a drop. Once you know how much water your landscape plants require, it’s time to take a closer look at your irrigation system.
Whether you are working with a professional designer or are doing the project yourself, the following checklist will help you keep track of the main decisions involved in irrigation design.
