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Opinion: Colorado River Deal Forever Changes the Price of Water in the West

/in , , /by /CalMattersby Grayson Zulauf

For the first time in this drought-stricken century, a new price for water in the West has been set – and it’s 25 times higher than what farmers have paid for the last 75 years.

Arizona, Nevada and California recently agreed to reduce their water consumption from the Colorado River by 13% through 2026. The federal government will pay their irrigation districts, Native American tribes and cities $521 for each acre-foot of water they don’t use.

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North County Water District Loosens Drought Restrictions

/in , , /by /FOX 5 San Diegoby Danielle Dawson

The Vallecitos Water District Board of Directors has voted to rescind mandatory drought restrictions Monday, loosening conservation measures for North County residents.

Effective June 10, the water district will be moving from “Level 2 – Drought Alert” to “Level 1 – Drought Watch,” district officials announced Monday.

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Beyond the Yuck Factor: Cities Turn to ‘Extreme’ Water Recycling

/in , , /by /Yale 360by Jim Robbins

In downtown San Francisco, in a cavernous garage that was once a Honda dealership, a gleaming white-and-blue appliance about the size of a commercial refrigerator is being prepared for transport to a hotel in Los Angeles.

There, this unit, called a OneWater System, will be installed in the basement, where its collection of pipes will take in much of the hotel’s graywater — from sinks, showers, and laundry. The system will clean the water with membrane filtration, ultraviolet light, and chlorine, and then send it back upstairs to be used again for nonpotable uses.

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‘San Diego Has Suffered Long Enough:’ Padilla Visits Border, Urges Action to Clean Pollution

/in , , /by /Times of San Diego / City News Serviceby Elizabeth Ireland

San Diego has suffered long enough from the impacts of trans-border sewage flow, and sanitation efforts must move forward, Sen. Alex Padilla, D-California, said Monday during a visit to a border wastewater treatment plant.

The U.S. International Boundary and Water Commission treatment plant sits on the border between Mexico and the United States in San Diego.

“For far too long, toxic waste and raw sewage have flowed across the border into Southern California, bringing health hazards and environmental threats into our own backyards,” Padilla said. “This pollution continues to contaminate Southern California’s air and water, depriving communities of outdoor recreation and economic opportunities.”

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Experience a Sustainable Demonstration Garden Self-Tour

/in , , /by /Water News Network Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

Sustainable landscape demonstration gardens inspire homeowners to create and maintain their own beautiful, water-efficient landscapes. In California, where more than half of urban water usage goes towards landscape irrigation, any reduction in water consumption contributes to successful conservation efforts.

The San Diego County Water Authority and several member agencies host demonstration gardens that residents can visit and gather ideas for their own landscape makeovers and water-efficient upgrades. With gardens flourishing in late spring, it’s the perfect time for a self-guided garden tour.

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‘Improvised, Spotty and Belated’: Will California Reform Its Oversight of Water Rights?

/in , , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Ian James

California’s complex system of water rights took shape starting in the mid-1800s, when settlers saw the state’s water as abundant and free for the taking — a time when a Gold Rush prospector could stake claim to river flows simply by nailing a notice to a tree.

Today, California’s oldest and most senior water rights — called riparian and pre-1914 rights — have been passed along to thousands of agricultural landowners, irrigation districts and urban water suppliers that claim control of roughly one-third of the water that is diverted from the state’s rivers and streams.

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‘Climate Whiplash’ is the New Normal for California, Experts Say

/in , , /by /Yale Climate Connections by Sarah Spengemen and Elise Osenga

Summer is approaching in California, and warmer temperatures have been melting the massive snowpack dumped on the state over the winter. Several swimmers and kayakers drowned this spring as rivers flooded and raged. The National Park Service took the rare step of closing much of Yosemite National Park’s scenic valley for several days to protect hikers and campers from floods. In April, California snowpack was at 237% of the average.

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California’s Major Reservoirs Remain Nearly Full Heading Into Summer

/in , , /by /FOX 40by Matthew Nobert

This will be the first time in several years that California will enter summer with the majority of its reservoirs at or over 90 percent of total capacity, according to data from the California Department of Water Resources.

As of Saturday, Shasta, Oroville, Folsom, New Bullards Bar, San Luis, Castaic and Cachuma reservoirs are over 90 percent of their total capacity and in the case of Shasta and Oroville are less than 5 percent away from being full.

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Snowpack Buys Utah’s Water Supply Some Time but Planning for a Drier Future is Key

/in , , /by /KUER 90.1by Saige Miller

The high Utah mountains gained 30 inches of water this winter, compared to 12 inches the year before. That amount of water in one season has done wonders for Utah’s ongoing drought.

“This time last year, about 99% of the state was in severe drought,” said Laura Haskell, the drought coordinator with the Utah Division of Water Resources. “So we have just about 14% [that] is in the moderate drought category. And that’s it.”

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Bill to Create Salton Sea Conservancy Moves Forward in State Legislature

/in , , /by /Times of San Diegoby Chris Jennewein

Legislation introduced by Sen. Steve Padilla of San Diego to create the Salton Sea Conservancy moved forward this week with a unanimous vote in the state Senate.

Senate Bill 583 would create a new state agency to unify California’s efforts to expedite preservation, protect residents’ health, and foster ecological recovery of the shrinking sea.

“The environmental calamity at the Salton Sea is decades in the making,” said Padilla. “It is going to take unprecedented collaboration at all levels of governmental to adequately address this challenge.”

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