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Heavy Sierra Snow, Valley Thunderstorms And Hail Possible Wednesday As Storm Peaks

/in , /by /The Sacramento Beeby Michael McGough

The heaviest rain, heaviest snow and highest probability of thunderstorms accompanying the current storm will pass through Northern California at varying times Wednesday. Early morning showers were scattered, dropping heavier precipitation in the northern half of the Sacramento Valley while Sacramento stayed mostly dry as of 6 a.m., as National Weather Service radar images show. Rain in Sacramento will likely begin later Wednesday morning.

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How California Is Defying Trump’s Environmental Rollbacks

/in , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Bettina Boxall

California is building walls at its borders — they’re just not the kind President Trump has in mind. As the Trump administration continues its assault on environmental regulation, state officials are throwing up legal barriers to some high-stakes attacks. They are preparing to strengthen safeguards for waterways that are about to lose federal protections in a major rollback of the Clean Water Act. They are refusing to issue permits the federal government needs to build a controversial dam project that would drown portions of a Northern California river renowned for its wild trout fishery.

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Water Authority Projects Pinched By Labor Shortage, Rising Cost Of Construction Materials

/in , /by /Times of San Diegoby Toni McAllister Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

A shortage of construction workers coupled with higher prices for materials used in construction are driving up costs for San Diego County Water Authority’s infrastructure and maintenance projects, the agency is warning. During a Water Authority Board of Directors’ Engineering and Operations Committee meeting held earlier this month, Gary Bousquet, the agency’s deputy director of engineering, told attendees: “The Water Authority will monitor market trends and adjust individual project budgets as required. Our planning process includes prioritizing projects and evaluating the timing or need and scope of projects. We will adjust our project cost estimates to meet changing market conditions.”

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High Hopes For Colorado River Compact Plan

/in , , /by /Montrose Daily Press (Montrose, Colo.)by Katharhynn Heidelberg

After roughly seven years of work, Colorado River Compact states have reached an agreement for drought contingency plans that would maintain levels at lakes Powell and Mead. The contingency plans allow Colorado and the other Upper Basin states (New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming) to control their own destiny, Uncompahgre Valley Water Users Association Manager Steve Anderson said. “It, one, gives us the right to use the storage in the Colorado River Storage Project Act reservoirs to help with the level of Lake Powell. That’s a big win,” he said.

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Dangers Rising Along With Rivers As The Heaviest Snowpack In Recent Years Melts

/in , /by /The Modesto Beeby Rosalio Ahumada and Erin Tracy

Water levels and flows on area rivers are looking similar to conditions in 2017 when there were more than double the water rescues compared to average years. “Everyone should treat the river like a wild animal,” said Stanislaus Consolidated Fire Protection District Captain Jeff Frye. “Enjoy it from afar.” A strong current on the Stanislaus River took the lives of two people in 2017’ last Sunday, it swept 5-year-old Matilda Ortiz downstream and out of the grasp of a bystander who briefly had a hold of her. Her body was recovered Wednesday after river flows were slowed and the water level dropped about two feet to aid in the search.

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Heavy Rainfall Could Expedite Erosion Of San Diego’s Coastal, Inland Cliffs

/in , /by /10 News (San Diego)by Mark Saunders

Several recent storms to hit the San Diego County region could spell disaster for erosion prone areas of the coast and inland valleys. Rainfall running over coastal bluffs with a history of erosion could increase the likelihood of future erosions along our shores. Adam Young, a scientist with Scripps Institution of Oceanography San Diego, says an active season already could led to more crumbling of local cliff sides following heavy showers. “Pretty much whenever you have a new rainfall event, you’ll pretty much see a new landslide … The more rain we get, the more landslides,” Young says. “Every time you have a failure, stress distribution can change.”

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Details Of Newsom’s Drinking Water Tax Plan Revealed

/in , , /by /SFGate (San Francisco)by Filipa Ioannou

California Gov. Gavin Newsom revealed new details of his plans to charge water customers in the state a new tax to fund safe drinking water for disadvantaged communities. He announced Wednesday his plans to charge water customers an extra amount ranging from 95 cents to $10 a month — money that, combined with fees on animal farmers, dairies and fertilizer sellers, he projects would raise $140 million a year that could be put toward testing wells, aiding public water systems and treating contaminated water. The amount paid would depend on the size of one’s water meter.

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Coronado Considers Building $24 Million Sewage Treatment Plant

/in , , /by /The San Diego Union-Tribuneby Gustavo Solis

Coronado wants to stop using drinkable water to irrigate its municipal golf course. And it is willing to spend millions to do that. On Tuesday, the City Council asked staff to move forward with a proposal to build a $24 million sewage treatment facility on the Coronado Golf Course. Between debt payments and maintenance and operating costs, the plant will operate at a deficit for at least the first 14 years of operation and won’t break even for 30 or 35 years.

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Oceanside Takes Control Of Water Destiny, Preparing To Purify Recycled Water

/in , /by /10 News (San Diego)by Amanda Brandeis

The City of Oceanside is taking control of its water destiny, investing in a facility to purify recycled water from homes. “It’s not being used, it’s really a waste. A lot of that water is going out to the ocean and it’s really a precious resource,” said Cari Dale, Water Utilities Director for the city. This Fall they’ll break ground on the Pure Water Oceanside facility, which will sit right next to the San Luis Rey Water Reclamation Facility. The process uses state-of-the-art water purification steps that replicate and accelerate nature’s natural recycling process. The facility will create between 3 and 5 million gallons per day of high-quality drinking water for the Oceanside community.

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Poseidon Optimism Grows For Desalination Plant But Several Hurdles Remain

/in , /by /The Orange County Registerby Martin Wisckol

Poseidon officials, who’ve spent 21 years working toward approval of a controversial desalination plant in Huntington Beach, had a figurative bounce in their step as they emerged from yet another permitting agency meeting Friday. The Regional Water Quality Control Board remains months away from voting on one of the final two permits needed by Poseidon. But the fact the board staff detailed a specific timeline for the board’s permit process — with a final vote penciled in for Oct. 25 — was seen by Poseidon Vice President Scott Maloni interpreted that as a signal that board geologists, engineers and administrators are confident they can work through outstanding issues.

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