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Senate Bill 1 Continues To Move Through The California Legislature

/in , , /by /AgNet Westby Brian German

Last week California Senate Bill 1 (SB 1) continued with its forward momentum, advancing from the California Assembly Appropriations Committee by a vote of 13 to five.  The legislation that some environmental groups are referring to as ‘Trump insurance’ is now headed to the California Assembly floor.  The California Environmental, Public Health, and Workers Defense Act of 2019 known as SB 1 seeks to uphold specific federal policy as it pertains to water.

 

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As Salton Sea Shrinks, Experts Fear Far-Reaching Health Consequences

/in , , /by /YubaNet

In the string of small farm towns that stretches south from California’s Salton Sea toward the border with Mexico, pretty much everyone knows someone with asthma.

As many as three of every 10 people report having the disease in places like Brawley, Calipatria and Westmorland — compared with about one of 10 in California as a whole. Bronchitis is also common, and many residents complain about coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath.

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How To Save The Colorado River From Climate Change And Chronic Overuse

/in , , /by /Timeby Lucas Isakowitz

Paul Kehmeier is a fourth-generation farmer from western Colorado. One hundred and twenty years ago, his great grandfather Wilhelm Kehmeier bought land in Delta County, dug an irrigation ditch to bring water from a nearby stream, and got to work planting. The Kehmeier family has been farming on the same land ever since, growing alfalfa, hay and oats. But a few years ago, Paul Kehmeier did something unusual: he decided not to water about 60% of his fields.

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San Diego Water Pros Aid Paradise Irrigation District Following Camp Fire

/in , , /by /Water News Network

Six water professionals from the Helix Water District and Padre Dam Municipal Water District spent one week in August assisting the Paradise Irrigation District with disaster recovery in the wake of the devastating Camp Fire.

The Camp Fire burned through the town of Paradise, California in November 2018. CAL FIRE reported the fire burned 153,336 acres, destroyed 18,804 structures and resulted in 85 civilian fatalities and several firefighter injuries. The Camp Fire is the deadliest and most destructive fire in California history, according to CAL FIRE.

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Controversial Water Legislation Heads To Calif. Assembly Floor

/in , , /by /The San Jouquin Valley Sun

Senate Bill 1, a highly controversial piece of water legislation, is headed to the floor of the California State Assembly in the coming weeks after clearing the Assembly Appropriations Committee on Friday.

The bill, penned by Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins (D–San Diego) would tie California’s air quality and water laws to the Federal standards as of Jan. 19, 2017 – the final day of the Obama administration.

Initially, Senate Bill 1 was placed in the committee’s “suspense file,” or Legislative jargon for setting the bill aside temporarily. During Friday’s committee hearing, the bill was brought on with new amendments included.

 

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Pacific Beach Girl Scout Promotes Water Wise Landscaping

/in , , /by /San Diego Community News

When many San Diegans think about native plants, it can bring up images of dry landscapes or prickly cacti. However, truly native plants can create a colorful landscape for Pacific Beach residents year-round.

This summer, at the Pacific Beach Taylor Library Community Room, Girl Scout Isabella Catanzaro held a workshop on how to create a beautiful landscape using only 30% of the water consumed by a typical lawn.

 

 

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With New State Law, Pico Rivera’s Water Is Now Considered Tainted

/in , , /by /Whittier Daily Newsby Bradley Bermont

Under new water quality standards issued by the state, the Pico Rivera water supply is now considered tainted.

The city will soon be sending notices to all residents about high levels of perfluorooctanoic acid and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid, more commonly referred to as PFOA and PFOS.

Dubbed “forever chemicals,” the two are “readily absorbed, but not readily eliminated from the human body,” according to the state’s Water Resources Control Board. Long-term exposure can damage an individual’s immune system, thyroid and liver. It can also cause cancer and harm developing fetuses and infants alike.

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Ornamental Horticulture Groundbreaking Cultivates Career Opportunities

/in , , /by /Water News Network

With the turn of 11 gleaming shovels, groundbreaking took place on August 22 for a $16.7 million project to renovate and improve indoor and outdoor classrooms and facilities for Cuyamaca College’s Ornamental Horticulture program. Thousands of students have graduated from the program since its launch in 1980. Many have gone on to careers in landscape design and sustainable landscaping, irrigation technology and turf management. The renovation will allow the program to provide a hands-on training experience reflecting current industry standards. “We are a career technical education discipline and we strive to help students get jobs, so it is very important that we are able to replicate what’s currently used in industry,” said Leah Rottke, program coordinator for the horticulture program.

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State Of California Proposes Plan For Delta Levees

/in , , /by /The Brentwood Press (Brentwood, Calif.)by Tony Kukulich

Last week, the Delta Stewardship Council (DSC) held a public hearing to review proposed changes to how spending decisions on the maintenance of Delta levees are made, and the plan — known as the Delta Levee Investment Strategy (DLIS) — has drawn criticism from several sources. Among the criticisms leveled at the DLIS is a concern that Delta towns, including Discovery Bay and Rio Vista, were ranked second among the three risk classifications, and heritage towns like Courtland, Hood, Walnut Grove and Locke received the lowest risk classification. Meanwhile, it’s asserted by critics like Deirdre Des Jardins, principal with California Water Research, that islands and tracts related to the export of Delta water via the State Water Project received the highest prioritization.

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Mexico Facing ‘Water Zero’

/in , , /by /AZ Big Media (Pheonix, Ariz.)by Victoria Harker

Mexico is one of a growing list of countries deemed most at risk of hitting “Day Zero” when they no longer have enough water to meet citizen needs, according to a new report by global research organization, World Resources Institute (WRI). The nonprofit institute categorized countries into five different levels according to their relative risk of consuming all of their water resources, ranging from “Low Baseline Water Stress” to “Extremely High Baseline Water Stress.” Mexico is one of 44 countries – representing one-third of the world’s population – that fall into the second-highest category, “High Baseline Water Stress,” meaning that the nation consumes between 40 and 80 percent of the water supply available in a year.

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