Unlike other parts of the state, Southern California has avoided the worst of the drought-inspired water restrictions because of ample supplies. But that could be changing.
The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California on Tuesday issued a supply alert, calling on the region to conserve vital resources and prepare for continued drought.
The Santa Fe Irrigation District board will consider the adoption of its new 10-year strategic plan on Aug. 19, laying the framework for the future and setting somewhat of a new intention for the water district that will turn 100 years old in 2023.
According to SFID Manager Al Lau, the plan for the future places a high level of focus on water resiliency, conservation and better engagement with its customers.
“Our mission is to meet the water supply needs of all customers— safely, sustainably, reliably and cost-effectively,” Lau said.
U.S. Bureau of Reclamation officials declared the first-ever water shortage on the Colorado River on Monday, Aug. 16, and the Imperial Irrigation District weighed in on Tuesday, Aug. 17.
That declaration has triggered cuts in water supplies to some Arizona farmers and areas of Nevada for 2022.
In the U.S., Arizona will be hit the hardest and lose 18 percent of its share from the Colorado River next year, according to the Associated Press.
That’s around 8 percent of the state’s total water use. Nevada will lose about 7 percent of its allocation, or 21,000 acre-feet of water.
California is spared from immediate cuts because it has more senior water rights than Arizona and Nevada. Mexico will see a reduction of roughly 5 percent, or 80,000 acre-feet.
The Imperial Irrigation District has addressed the cuts, though the district won’t yet be affected by the recently announced shortage reduction.
As California Governor Gavin Newsom asks residents of the state to cut water usage by 15%, the San Diego County Water Authority is supporting that request while simultaneously working on long-term solutions to combat water shortages.
Goldy Herbon, Senior Water Resources Specialist for the Water Resources Department at San Diego County Water Authority, said there is no imminent concern over water shortages in San Diego County, however, it is important for locals to cut back now to set the area up for success in the future.
Do you know if your landscaping really needs water? Even if you have waterwise irrigation on a properly timed schedule for your individual landscaping plan, it’s a good idea to make sure it’s really needed. You could be wasting water assuming it’s necessary. Appearances can be misleading.
Ramona Municipal Water District directors unanimously agreed Tuesday to refund Spirit of Joy Lutheran Church $27,343, acknowledging that there was a lack of clarity in determining how and when building projects should be assessed for emergency services.
The decision brings closure to a request the church has been making to the water district since November 2019.
Entire channels of the Mississippi River are caked dry. Rocks, riverbeds and islands of the St. Croix and Minnesota rivers are visible for the first time in decades. Dozens of streams are at their lowest recorded levels since at least 1988, or even the Dust Bowl.
On Wednesday, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) put much of the state in a “restricted phase” as the drought continues to get worse. That means water utilities and suppliers will need to cut down the total amount of water used to no more than 25% above what they used in January.
Kelly O’Brien’s drinking water well had been in its death throes for days before its pump finally gave out over Memorial Day weekend.
It wasn’t a quiet death at O’Brien’s home in Glenn County, about 100 miles north of Sacramento.
Spigots rattled. Faucets sputtered. The drinking water turned rusty with sediment. In the end, two houses, three adults, three children, two horses, four dogs and a couple of cats on her five acres of land were all left with no water for their sinks, showers, laundry, troughs and water bowls.
As extreme drought spread across the state, O’Brien feared that the water underneath her property had sunk so low that it was out of the reach of her well.
California’s current voluntary water restrictions may soon become mandatory.
Governor Gavin Newsom said this week that statewide restrictions may be imposed in late September, roughly two weeks after the September 14 recall election.
In San Diego County, residents and businesses have managed to cut their water use by half since the early 1990s. While our region as a whole has done a strong job saving water, a historic drought continues to intensify throughout California and the western United States.
Surveying the recently scorched earth of Big Basin Redwoods State Park with the nation’s top environmental official this week, Gov. Gavin Newsom acknowledged that it might be time for mandatory statewide water restrictions — in six weeks or so.
What is he waiting for?
