As the parade of storms hitting California leaves behind widespread damage and impacts, scientists are literally diving into these atmospheric river events to better predict and understand what’s coming on the horizon.
Flying over the Pacific Ocean on specially-equipped aircraft, the “hurricane hunters” of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration play a huge role in helping communities determine the severity of atmospheric river storms.
Nearly every square mile of California was in a severe drought four months ago. The first six months of 2022 were the driest on record and, in many corners of the state, the rest of the year wasn’t much better.
Now we’re worrying about whether we have too much water in some places.
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 Lee2023-01-19 10:08:162023-01-19 10:55:44California Went From Drought to ‘Epic’ Snow. What It Could Mean for Spring Flooding
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 Lee2023-01-19 10:07:172023-01-19 10:55:55How Lake Mead Water Levels Look After Weeks of Heavy Rainfall
Californians have suddenly turned their attention from drought to flooding.
The future likelihood of a series of huge atmospheric rivers in California, a so-called ARk storm scenario, seems to be a certainty. Atmospheric rivers channel moist tropical air towards the West Coast, where mountains condense it to rain and snow. Over the last few weeks, California has suffered through a sneak peak of its devastating potential.
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 Lee2023-01-19 10:06:342023-01-19 10:56:06Opinion: How California Can Prepare for Future Floods Before a Megastorm Hits
As California emerges from a two-week bout of deadly atmospheric rivers, a number of climate researchers say the recent storms appear to be typical of the intense, periodic rains the state has experienced throughout its history and not the result of global warming.
Although scientists are still studying the size and severity of storms that killed 19 people and caused up to $1 billion in damage, initial assessments suggest the destruction had more to do with California’s historic drought-to-deluge cycles, mountainous topography and aging flood infrastructure than it did with climate-altering greenhouse gasses.
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 Lee2023-01-19 10:05:012023-01-19 10:56:17For All Their Ferocity, California Storms Were Not Likely Caused by Global Warming, Experts Say
A malfunction at a wastewater pumping station spilled 500,000 gallons of raw sewage into San Diego Bay, authorities said.
More than six miles of shoreline were closed or posted with warning signs after the spill Monday afternoon sent untreated wastewater flowing out of manholes and into storm drains downtown and in the Midway area instead of going to a treatment plant, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported Wednesday.
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 Lee2023-01-19 10:04:572023-01-19 10:56:28Half-Million Gallons of Sewage Spill Into San Diego Bay
At today’s Olivenhain Municipal Water District board meeting, Christy Guerin assumed the position of president. Ms. Guerin will serve as president for the 2023-2024 term.
Initially appointed to the board in 2011, Ms. Guerin represents Division 3 of OMWD’s service area, which includes portions of the cities of Encinitas and Solana Beach. In addition to her duties as president, Ms. Guerin will also serve on OMWD’s Personnel Committee, Facilities Committee, Public Outreach and Conservation Committee, and Public Policy Committee.
Ms. Guerin is a ten-year veteran of the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, and a former council member and mayor of the City of Encinitas. In her capacity with the city, she served on the San Dieguito Water District board and also represented the city on the San Diego Association of Governments’ board. In addition, Ms. Guerin served as OMWD’s representative to the San Diego County Water Authority board from 2014 to 2020.
“With the ongoing multi-year drought, water supply reliability and the mitigation of impacts to our ratepayers will be a top priority for 2023. I look forward to leading the district through these times while staying true to the district’s core values,” said Ms. Guerin.
Larry Watt was thanked and honored during the meeting for his service as president for the 2021-2022 term. This marked the third time Mr. Watt filled the president position, having previously served in that role for the 2013-2014 term as well as the 2017-2018 term.
(Editor’s Note: Olivenhain Municipal Water District is a public agency providing water, wastewater services, recycled water, hydroelectricity, and operation of Elfin Forest Recreational Reserve. Organized in 1959, OMWD currently serves approximately 87,000 customers over 48 square miles in northern San Diego County. The OMWD is one of the San Diego County Water Authority’s 24 member agencies that deliver water across San Diego County.)
https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Olivenhain-Logo-Square.jpg200200Mike Leehttps://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.pngMike Lee2023-01-18 17:30:282023-01-19 15:15:41Christy Guerin Named President of OMWD’s Board of Directors
The San Diego County Water Authority’s First Aqueduct will be shut down periodically over the next three months for maintenance projects to ensure a safe and reliable water supply for the region. Two shutdowns on the First Aqueduct are scheduled from January through March, when portions of the aqueduct will be relined, along with other maintenance.
The Water Authority and its member agencies are coordinating to minimize impacts to residents and businesses, while servicing pipelines that are more than 65 years old.
Customers of these affected retail agencies during the Jan. 23-Feb. 1 shutdown should check with their local water utility if they have questions about localized impacts: Fallbrook Public Utility District, Rainbow Municipal Water District, Rincon del Diablo Municipal Water District, Vallecitos Water District, Valley Center Municipal Water District, Vista Irrigation District, and the Yuima Municipal Water District.
Proactive Asset Management Program
“Work to proactively upgrade and maintain our water delivery system in coordination with our member agencies ensures the continued safe and reliable supply that serves the region’s 3.3 million residents and our $268 billion economy,” said Eva Plajzer, the Water Authority’s director of operations and maintenance. “Taking care of this critical infrastructure during the shutdown season extends the life of the aqueduct and reduces the cost of replacement.”
San Diego County Water Authority crews are always keeping the water flowing, 365 days a year. 🌞 pic.twitter.com/Ie57jvBj18
Maintenance work on pipelines is scheduled during low-demand periods to minimize impacts on water service.
The other scheduled shutdown on the First Aqueduct is February 27 to March 8, which will also impact the Helix Water District and the cities of San Diego, Poway and Ramona.
By order of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, the U.S. Navy built the San Diego Aqueduct to deliver Colorado River water to San Diego. Photo: San Diego County Water Authority archives
Historic First Aqueduct
The historic First Aqueduct was constructed in the 1940s with Pipeline 1 and in the 1950s with Pipeline 2. On November 28, 1947, the first Colorado River water flowed south from Riverside County for 71 miles into the City of San Diego’s San Vicente Reservoir via the First Aqueduct.
The Water Authority’s Asset Management Program is a key element of providing safe and reliable water supplies to the region. The agency continually assesses and inspects its 310 miles of large-diameter pipelines, which provide treated and untreated water to 24 member agencies in San Diego County. The program is widely recognized for pioneering work – including a patented inspection device – that promotes water affordability by avoiding costly unplanned disruptions in service.
As assets age, the Water Authority proactively replaces and repairs them to minimize impacts to member agencies and the public. Investments in the latest inspection technologies, including electromagnetic scanning, robotic inspections and 3D tunnel inspections help the Water Authority’s asset management team detect defects in pipelines and related facilities. Identifying potential issues early avoids more costly fixes later.
(Editor’s Note: The Fallbrook Public Utility District, Rainbow Municipal Water District, Rincon del Diablo Municipal Water District, Vallecitos Water District, Valley Center Municipal Water District, Vista Irrigation District, Yuima Municipal Water District, Helix Water District and the cities of San Diego, Poway and Ramona are 11 of the San Diego County Water Authority’s 24 member agencies that deliver water across the metropolitan San Diego region.)
Fast action by the San Diego County Water Authority and its partners is helping maintain water service in Tijuana after problems with the city’s aqueduct emerged in December.
Emergency water deliveries started last week after a coordinated effort between the Water Authority, Otay Water District, and Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD). The typical multi-month approval process was compressed into a few days to avoid additional water supply shortages in Tijuana.
Many years ago, scientists predicted climate change would result in more intense weather swings, the likes of which California is currently experiencing: extended stretches of drought interrupted by periods of hard rains.
Now as before, people raise the same question when atmospheric rivers hit and massive storm runoff flows into the ocean: Why can’t we capture more of that and store it for the dry seasons?
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 Lee2023-01-18 10:58:302023-01-18 11:00:49Opinion: Suddenly, Water is Everywhere. So Are Questions About Saving More of It.
