Boats at the bottom of Lake Mead that were exposed by dwindling lake levels are finally underwater again, but the recovery is relatively small compared to the severity of the drought.
In the summer of 2022, folks flocked to a upright boat in Lake Mead. YouTubers “Sin City Outdoors” documented the dramatic fall of lake levels as it dwindled to a historic 1,040 feet. FOX5 covered their efforts to document the numerous boats that emerged from the deep, including a historic WWII vessel.
https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.png00Andrea Morahttps://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.pngAndrea Mora2023-09-19 09:52:242023-09-19 15:04:12Once-Exposed Boats in Lake Mead Covered by Water Again, but Progress is Minimal Amid Record Drought
A water district best known for supplying the celebrity-studded enclaves of Calabasas and Hidden Hills could soon become famous for a very different reason.
The Las Virgenes Municipal Water District recently partnered with California-based OceanWell to study the feasibility of harvesting drinking water from desalination pods placed on the ocean floor, several miles off the coast of California.
https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.png00Andrea Morahttps://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.pngAndrea Mora2023-09-19 09:51:152023-09-19 15:04:20A Celebrity-Studded L.A. Water District Has a Very Big Drought Idea: Seafloor Desalination
Of more than 2,600 bills introduced in the legislative session that wrapped up late last week, about 840 managed to navigate their way through the Assembly and Senate. The bills that survived the legislative gauntlet now await their respective fates at the hand of the governor, who has an Oct. 13 deadline to sign them into law or veto them.
Here’s a look at some of the noteworthy energy bills Newsom will consider:
A late provision by outgoing Senate Pro Tem Toni Atkins, D-San Diego, included a proposed pumped hydroelectric storage project at San Vicente Reservoir near Lakeside to the list of potential projects that AB 1373 helps facilitate.
If constructed, the San Vicente project will pump water from the existing reservoir to a smaller reservoir (still to be constructed) and then generate emissions-free electricity by sending the water back downhill.
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 Lee2023-09-19 09:50:222023-09-19 15:04:34Offshore Wind, Solar Along San Diego Highways and More: Some Key Energy Bills Heading to Newsom’s Desk
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 Lee2023-09-19 09:49:062023-09-19 15:04:45City Council to Vote on Water Rate Increase Tuesday
The San Diego County Farm Bureau named Mary Matava as its 2022 Farmer of the Year. Matava, involved in the region’s agriculture industry for 45 years, was recognized for her achievement at an awards dinner September 7 at the Bernardo Winery in Rancho Bernardo.
The Farmer of the Year award is presented to an active or retired farmer who has had a positive impact on the agriculture industry, is active in the community beyond agriculture, and has represented the agricultural industry publicly on behalf of farming interests.
Matava is a trained agronomist with 40 years of experience and a leading expert in soil assessment and amendments, green waste recycling, facility management, and avocado farming.
Agronomy and recycling
According to the Farm Bureau, Matava’s work involves “assessing the agronomic suitability of Southern California soils.” For the last 25 years, Matava’s company has manufactured organic soil amendments used by farmers throughout Southern California.
Agronomy is the science and technology of producing and using plants by agriculture for food, fuel, fiber, chemicals, recreation, or land conservation, soil management, and crop production.
Matava fights climate change through improved farming technology
Matava has spent much of her career studying local soils to determine what kind of nutrients are present and beneficial for crops while also finding more efficient ways to use water and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The California Air Resources Board reports 20% of the methane emissions in California come from landfills. The Environmental Protection Agency cites methane from landfills as the third largest overall source of methane in the U.S.
Matava is the owner and operator of Agri Service, based in Oceanside, and employs 30 people. Agri Service operates compost facilities in Southern California, including the El Corazon Compost Facility in Oceanside.
Since 1995, the City of Oceanside has partnered with Agri Service, Inc. to develop an innovative public-private recycling program, reducing its landfill waste while creating beneficial soil amendments, and sharing the most up-to-date industry standards. Since its inception, the compost facility has processed over two million tons of green waste into high-quality soil amendments, mulch, and potting mixes while reducing methane emissions.
Video tour of the El Corazon Compost Facility
Agri Service also operates a compost facility in Otay Mesa, open to the public. Since it opened, Agri Service has processed more than 2.5 million tons of green waste products.
Matava represents the county’s farming professionals
Matava uses her own compost products on her family’s avocado farm in South Morro Hills, where she grows six varieties of avocados.
Her focus for the future is continuing to find ways to mitigate the effects of climate change and pollution, while also producing high-quality farming products. She previously served as president of the San Diego County Farm Bureau and in a variety of roles on the Farm Bureau’s board of directors.
The San Diego County Farm Bureau is a nonprofit organization supporting the more than 5,700 farms within the county. The mission of the Farm Bureau is to foster San Diego agriculture through education, public relations, and public policy advocacy in order to promote the economic viability, sustainability, and community building of agriculture.
(Editor’s note: The City of Oceanside is one of the San Diego County Water Authority’s 24 member agencies that deliver water across the San Diego County region.)
https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Mary-Matava-2022-FOTY-845X450.jpg450845Gayle Falkenthalhttps://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.pngGayle Falkenthal2023-09-18 15:36:502023-09-18 15:41:39Mary Matava Named 2022 San Diego County Farmer of the Year
Padre Dam Municipal Water District’s Board of Directors has appointed Ivan Andujar to fill the Board vacancy in Division 4 as the result of the recent passing of August Caires. Andujar was sworn into office and officially seated on the Board of Directors immediately following the Board appointment at the September 6, 2023 Board meeting. Andujar will serve for the remainder of the current team which expires in December 2024.
“It is a true honor to have been selected to represent Division 4. My interest in being part of Padre Dam’s Board is to be a voice for the customers I serve in Division 4,” said newly appointed Board Member Ivan Andujar. “My first priority as a new Board member will be to learn all aspects of Padre Dam operations so that I will have the knowledge necessary to make sound decisions with my fellow Board members.”
Andujar was one of three candidate who applied for the open Board seat in Division 4. After Board interviews at the regular Board meeting, Andujar was selected as the top choice of three candidates.
“It is a true honor to have been selected to represent Division 4. My interest in being part of Padre Dam’s Board is to be a voice for the customers I serve in Division 4,” stated newly appointed Board Member Ivan Andujar. Photo: Padre Dam Municipal Water District
Active community member
Andujar prides himself as being an active community member within the area he lives – East County. He currently serves as the Chief Operations Officer for the East County Transitional Living Center and also is the Chairman of the Alpine/Mountain Empire Chamber of Commerce. Additionally, Andujar is a member of the El Cajon Rotary Club, Lakeside Kiwanis, San Diego Leadership Foundation and Community Emergency Response Team.
Ivan Andujar was sworn into office and officially seated on the Board of Directors immediately following the Board appointment at the September 6, 2023 Board meeting. Andujar will serve for the remainder of the current team which expires in December 2024. Photo: Padre Dam Municipal Water District
Padre Dam provides water, sewer, recycled water and recreation services to approximately 102,000 residents in East San Diego County including Santee, El Cajon, Lakeside, Flinn Springs, Harbison Canyon, Blossom Valley, Alpine, Dehesa and Crest. The District is a public agency with policies and procedures directed by an elected five-member Board of Directors. The District imports 100% of our treated water supply and treats two million gallons per day (MGD) of wastewater at our Water Recycling Facility.
(Editor’s note: The Padre Dam 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.)
https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Ivan-Andujar-PRIMARY-cropped.jpg450845Mike Leehttps://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.pngMike Lee2023-09-18 12:10:232023-09-21 13:58:42Padre Dam Board Appoints New Board Member to Division 4
The San Diego County Water Authority offers free WaterSmart classes, with both virtual and in-person options, taught by local landscape design professionals. Classes help participants understand landscape design and maintenance, soil identification and health, turf types and removal tips, plant selection, rainwater catchment, irrigation retrofits and project installation, whether completed as a DIY project or with contractor assistance.
Participants get the knowledge and skills they need to transform their yards into spaces that are water-efficient, sustainable, and beautiful year-round. The workshops are typically offered in spring and in fall clusters, with fall classes scheduled for September through November.
Five topics are available to choose from, including:
Plan Ahead: Understanding Soil and Site Assessments
Design: Shape Your Space
Plants: Inspiring Choices for our Region
Water & Irrigation: Utilizing a Precious Resource
Installation and Maintenance: Protecting Your Investment
Local professionals can help you create a customized plan
Participants who attend all five workshops and meet other program criteria can sign up to receive an in-home visit by a landscape professional who will help them create customized landscape transformation plans, through the Designer at Your Door service. For more information, visit sdcwa.org/your-water/conservation/classes.
“The workshops are designed to help residents create and maintain their own beautiful and water-efficient outdoor spaces,” said Debby Dunn, a water resources specialist for the Water Authority. “Most of our residential water use is outdoors in our landscapes. This is why learning how to create water-efficient spaces is a great way for San Diegans to continue doing their part to use water efficiently.”
Short videos offer an educational and entertaining experience
For people who prefer to learn at their own pace, the Water Authority offers short, entertaining and educational on-demand videos, with topics that mirror the workshops. To watch the videos go to sdcwa.org/your-water/conservation/classes and click on the videos link.
Low-water plants, improved irrigation technologies, and WaterSmart classes not only save water, but also reduce energy use, protect our natural resources, and create beautiful outdoor living spaces.
El Niño is anticipated to continue through the Northern Hemisphere winter (with a greater than 95% chance through January – March 2024). An El Niño Advisory remains in effect.
In August, sea surface temperatures (SSTs) were above average across the equatorial Pacific Ocean [Fig. 1], with strengthening in the central and east-central Pacific. All of the latest weekly Niño indices were in excess of +1.0°C: Niño-4 was +1.1°C, Niño-3.4 was +1.6°C, Niño-3 was +2.2°C, and Niño1+2 was +2.9°C [Fig. 2]. Area-averaged subsurface temperatures anomalies increased compared to July [Fig. 3] in association with anomalous warmth in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean [Fig. 4]. Tropical atmospheric anomalies were also consistent with El Niño. Over the east-central Pacific, low-level winds were anomalously westerly, while upper-level winds were anomalously easterly. Convection was slightly enhanced around the International Date Line, stretching into the eastern Pacific, just north of the equator. Convection was mostly suppressed around Indonesia [Fig. 5]. The equatorial Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) and the traditional station-based SOI were both significantly negative. Collectively, the coupled ocean-atmosphere system reflected El Niño.
El Niño Winter
The most recent IRI plume indicates El Niño will persist through the Northern Hemisphere winter 2023-24 [Fig. 6]. Despite nearly the same ensemble mean amplitude as last month, the shorter forecast horizon means that the odds of at least a “strong” El Niño (≥1.5°C for the November-January seasonal average in Niño-3.4) have increased to 71%. However, a strong El Niño does not necessarily equate to strong impacts locally, with the odds of related climate anomalies often lower than the chances of El Niño itself (e.g., CPC’s seasonal outlooks). In summary, El Niño is anticipated to continue through the Northern Hemisphere winter (with greater than 95% chance through January – March 2024; [Fig. 7]).
https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/El-Nino-PRIMARY-graphic.jpg450845Mike Leehttps://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.pngMike Lee2023-09-18 10:29:252023-09-18 10:30:35El Niño Anticipated to Continue Through the Northern Hemisphere Winter
Last week, Lake Mead water levels started to even out after experiencing a steep increase for the last five months, but it isn’t expected to last for long.
After years of drought, Lake Mead, which is in Nevada and Arizona, reached drastically low levels last summer, prompting fears that a dead pool—the point where water levels are too low to flow downstream—would occur much sooner than originally thought.
https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.png00Andrea Morahttps://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.pngAndrea Mora2023-09-18 10:28:472023-09-18 10:31:14Will Lake Mead Water Levels Rise Again? What We Know About El Niño
A centerpiece of California’s perpetual political and legal wrangling over allocation of water is the complex array of rights that stretch back to the earliest years of statehood in the 19th century.
Simply put, those who claimed water before 1914, when the state assumed legal control, have “senior rights” that traditionally have entitled them to virtually unlimited supplies even when other users face cutbacks during drought.
https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.png00Andrea Morahttps://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.pngAndrea Mora2023-09-18 10:12:582023-09-18 10:15:30Opinion: Water Rights Reformers Scored Only a Minor Victory in the Legislature
