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Rights To Water Stored By Willamette Dams Up for Grabs; Cities, Farmers, Fish compete

/in , /by /Statesman Journalby William Poehler and Tracy Loew,

Billions of gallons of water have been hidden behind the Willamette River Basin’s 13 dams since they were constructed starting in the 1930s. For 30 years, powerful interests including cities, farmers and industry have been slugging it out for access to that water, which has yet to be designated for a use. Fisheries and environmental groups also want a say in how the water is distributed from the dams, operated by the Army Corps of Engineers.

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Drone View Of Proposed Del Puerto Canyon Reservoir

/in , /by /The Modesto Beeby Joan L Lee

The area west of Patterson Calif. along Del Puerto Canyon Road is pictured on Wednesday afternoon May 29, 2019. A proposal for an 800 acre reservoir that would include a lake in the scenic canyon in the foothills west of Patterson is underway.

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Liability Law Could Burn Water Districts

/in , /by /CALmatters (Sacramento)by Dan Morain

Pacific Gas & Electric Co. is in bankruptcy largely because of wildfire costs. Now, water districts are seeking protection against California’s fire-related liability law, believing their financial stability is at risk even if their actions and operations had nothing to do with causing a fire.

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Escondido, Tribe Reach Agreement On Easement For Water Pipeline

/in , /by /San Diego Union-Tribuneby J. Harry Jones

A plan to underground about 2.5 miles of the Escondido Canal through and near the San Pasqual Indian reservation has moved forward with an agreement reached recently for Escondido to pay the tribe for an easement through its land. The 14-mile-long Escondido Canal transports water from Lake Henshaw to Lake Wohlford where it is stored for use by Escondido and Vista Irrigation District consumers. Back in 1969, a lawsuit was filed by the federal government and five local Indian tribes along the San Luis Rey River contending that Escondido and Vista had stolen the tribes’ water by construction of the canal. After nearly 50 years of litigation, a complicated settlement was finally reached a few years ago.

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RMWD Considers Water And Sewer Service Rate Increases

/in , /by /San Diego Union-Tribuneby Julie Gallant Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

Proposed water and sewer rate increases for Ramona Municipal Water District customers will be discussed, with possible action taken by the board of directors, at a public hearing set for 2 p.m. Tuesday, July 9, in Ramona Community Center, 434 Aqua Lane. The RMWD last reviewed and adjusted water rates in 2015 and sewer rates in 2017. Rising costs were considered by the RMWD Board of Directors May 14 when they voted 3-0, with directors Jim Hickle and Bryan Wadlington absent, to notify the public of proposed five-year rate increases. The notices to affected property owners are required to be postmarked 45 days in advance of the public hearing under Proposition 218, “The Right to Vote on Taxes Act.”

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Seeking More Water, Silicon Valley Eyes Central Valley Farmland

/in , /by /The Mercury News (San Jose)by Paul Rogers

The largest water agency in Silicon Valley has been secretly negotiating to purchase a sprawling cattle ranch in Merced County that sits atop billions of gallons of groundwater, a move that could create a promising new water source — or spark a political battle between the Bay Area and Central Valley farmers. The Santa Clara Valley Water District, based in San Jose, is in talks with the owners of the 4-S Ranch, a 5,257-acre property located about 15 miles northeast of Los Banos, for what would be a multi-million-dollar deal to create a huge underground water reserve.

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SoCalGas, Metropolitan Water District, LADWP Award $578,500 In Rebates To Los Angeles Unified School District For New Commercial Kitchen Equipment

/in , /by /Yahoo!

Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas), the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD) and Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) awarded the Los Angeles Unified School District (Los Angeles Unified) close to $600,000 in energy and water efficiency program rebates.  Los Angeles Unified received $482,500 through SoCalGas’ “Energy Efficiency Rebates for Business” program and $96,000 in rebates from MWD and LADWP through the “SoCalWater$mart” program.  The rebates stemmed from the purchase of nearly 200 new high-efficiency natural gas pressure-less steamers placed in the kitchens at more than 90 Los Angeles Unified schools.  Representatives from SoCalGas, MWD and LADWP presented the rebate checks at the May 28 Board of Education Committee of the Whole meeting.

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Foothills Communities Face Proposed 7% Water Rate Hike

/in , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Lila Seidman

Crescenta Valley Water District’s board of directors have proposed rate increases for both its water and sewer rates. If approved, customers could see their combined monthly bills increase by about $7. On June 11, board members will hold a public hearing about the proposed 7% water rate hike, as well as a 4% increase in sewer, or wastewater, rates, according to Christy Scott, spokeswoman for the water district. If adopted, the new rates will go into effect July 1, impacting the district’s roughly 33,000 customers in La Crescenta, Montrose, and portions of Glendale and La Cañada Flintridge. Under the proposed rates, monthly water bills would increase by an average of $5.32 and monthly sewer service bills would increase by an average of $1.66.

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OPINION: Energy Storage Can Keep The Lights On, Cut Carbon Emissions

/in , /by /Capitol Weekly (Sacramento)by Jim McIntosh

Most of us won’t forget those rolling blackouts that took place across California in early 2000.  I remember them well, since I was the one who had to manage the power grid and turn off the lights more than a dozen times. Since then, energy engineers and operators like myself have made a life’s work out of keeping the lights on as California works to reduce carbon emissions and add more renewable energy into the power grid to meet California’s clean energy goals. The challenge is this: California remains dependent on natural gas plants and imported power from other states to meet demand in the evening when the sun goes down and solar energy isn’t available.

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Major Habitat Restoration Project Set To Move Forward At Salton Sea

/in , /by /Water News Network
The state of California, after resolving key hurdles, is set to move forward on a restoration project at the Salton Sea to improve habitat for migratory birds, while covering more exposed sea bed. When the State Water Resources Control Board last met to discuss the status of the Salton Sea Management Program (SSMP), Chairman E. Joaquin Esquivel called upon the State to resolve issues causing delays in the State’s lead project at the sea—Species Conservation Habitat (SCH). The State did reach resolution on several of the issues in May, and now can move forward with a design-build plan for constructing SCH.
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