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Opinion: Investment in Delta Tunnel, Sites Reservoir Will Ensure Water Supply

/in , , /by /CalMattersby Heather Dyer

California just recorded its’ third driest winter in history, so it’s no surprise that State Water Project deliveries have been cut to just 5% of contracted amounts.

This is bad news for regional water agencies who collectively depend on the State Water Project for a fourth of their water supply.

But these agencies have seen the climate change writing on the wall for a long time. In fact, Southern California has been in an extended drought for the last 20 years. Because of this, 11 San Bernardino Valley water agencies have identified close to $650 million worth of local stormwater capture, storage and recycling projects they plan to build over the next 50 years to lessen their dependence on State Water Project imports.

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Column: Follow the Warning Signs: California is Facing a Devastating Drought. It’s Time To Take Action

/in , , /by /Los Angeles Timesby George Skelton

When Sierra snow seeps into the ground or evaporates before it can flow downstream into reservoirs, you know California is facing a severe drought. It’s happening this spring up and down the mountain range that is a primary water source for the state. Water from snowmelt that hydrologists had expected only a few weeks ago to replenish foothill reservoirs is vanishing. It’s being absorbed by the parched soil or dissipating into the thin mountain air.

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Vista Irrigation District Contests Award Student Scholarships, Art Prizes

/in , , /by /Water News Network

Eight North San Diego County high school seniors and three fourth-grade students were the winners of two separate Vista Irrigation District sponsored contests.

Kulpreet Chhoker from Mission Vista High School, Kylie Konyn from St. Joseph Academy, and Delanee Haskins from North County Trade Tech High School each received $2,000 as winners of the Vista Irrigation District 2021 scholarship contest.

Izak Bunda from Guajome Park Academy, Anthony Jones and Malia Leonard from Rancho Buena Vista High School, and Colby Rafail and Juan Ramirez from Vista High School each received $500 as runners-up in the scholarship contest.

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Drought Imperils Economy in California’s Farm Country

/in , , /by /The Wall Street Journalby Jim Carlton

Sitting in a pickup truck on his almond farm 100 miles north of San Francisco, Tom Butler pointed to a withered grove he has been planning to bulldoze in order to save his little remaining water for younger trees.

“It’s not a decision any farmer wants to make,” the 42-year-old said last week. “We’re in survival mode.”

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California’s 2021 Drought: What’s Happening Now and What the Water Shortages Mean For You

/in , , /by /San Francisco Chronicleby Kurtis Alexander

In the Bay Area, most people get their water from big utilities that have lots of water, even during a drought. Your tap is not at risk of running dry.

The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission and East Bay Municipal Water District, two of the region’s largest suppliers, have already said they’re likely to get by this summer without the need for water restrictions. They’re still urging conservation, however.

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Declining Lake Powell Levels Prompt Colorado River States to Form New Plan

/in , , /by /KUNC Coloradoby Luke Runyon

Declining levels at the second-largest reservoir in the U.S. have spurred officials in Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, and New Mexico to search for ways to prop it up.

Lake Powell on the Colorado River is dropping rapidly amid one of the southwestern watershed’s driest years on record. It’s currently forecast to be at 29% of capacity by the end of September — the lowest level since the reservoir first started filling in 1963. Its sister reservoir downstream on the Colorado River, Lake Mead, is also approaching a record low this year.

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Opinion: Balance Pain of Drought on Farmers and Fishermen Equitably

/in , , /by /CalMattersby John McManus

In the first week of May a young salmon boat captain struggled to keep his boat stable and fishing while getting bashed by an unruly spring wind storm near the San Mateo-Santa Cruz county line. Far offshore, where the continental shelf drops off and a huge volume of marine nutrients circulate from the ocean bottom to the surface, salmon gathered. So did borderline gale force winds on top of a 10-foot swell. It looked like the scene at the end of the movie, “The Perfect Storm.”

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Troubled Waters: The Salton Sea Project Part 3 – A Lake Languished

/in , , /by /KESQ (Palm Springs)by Angela Chen

Along the dusty shoreline of the Salton Sea, you could blink and you’d miss it: the Ski Inn, the only bar around the east side of the lake for 40 miles.

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Water in Shorter Supply than Ever, California Reps Take Aim at State’s Poor Policies on Capitol Hill

/in , , /by /The Sun

With communities on the West Coast once again threatened by extreme drought, Republicans on the House Committee on Natural Resources held a hearing on Wednesday to discuss the issue.

Central Valley representatives Kevin McCarthy (R–Bakersfield), Devin Nunes (R–Tulare) and David Valadao (R–Hanford) joined the committee to address the drought.

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Recycled Water Facility is Plant of the Year

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

Olivenhain Municipal Water District’s 4S Ranch Water Reclamation Facility is the California Water Environment Association‘s Plant of the Year.

The District’s Board of Directors accepted the award at its May 19 meeting from California Water Environment Association San Diego section. The Plant of the Year award acknowledges OMWD’s accomplishments in compliance, innovative practices, and cost‐effectiveness.

“Our board is thrilled that 4S WRF has been recognized for industry‐leading procedures and techniques to produce high‐quality recycled water, increase water reliability, and operate safely, effectively, and economically,” said Olivenhain Municipal Wate District Vice President Kristie Bruce‐Lane. “We need to focus on keeping water affordable and accessible to everyone. Diversifying California’s water portfolio by investing more in recycled water is a critical strategy in doing so, now and for our future generations.”

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