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OPINION: What New Water Deals Mean And What Work Is Left To Be Done

/in , /by /CALmatters (Sacramento)by Karla Nemeth

California’s State Water Project and federal Central Valley Project span several northern watersheds, converging in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, where their pumping stations operate a stone’s throw away from one another. They coordinate their operations on a daily basis and have done so for decades. Earlier this month, the California Department of Water Resources signed three agreements updating how the state and federal projects share  environmental and financial obligations associated with their operations.

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Trump’s Rule A Wild Card For Western Water Supplies

/in , /by /E&E News (DC)by Ariel Wittenberg and Jeremy P. Jacobs

The Trump administration’s proposal to limit the Clean Water Act’s reach over wetlands and waterways would likely complicate efforts to protect and manage the parched West’s most important and imperiled source of water. At risk: the Colorado River — water provider for 40 million people and vast swaths of cropland — which is already reeling from a crippling drought and rising water demands. Trump’s proposed waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule would strip federal protections for ephemeral streams that only flow after rain or snow and wetlands without continuous surface water connections to waterways. That’s particularly important in the Colorado River Basin.

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San Diego County Health Officials Warn Residents To Avoid Beaches Due To Urban Runoff

/in , /by /10 News

Although the storm system that brought recent rainfall has left the region, the San Diego County Department of Environmental Health Wednesday urged the public to avoid water contact at all coastal beaches and bays. County health officials issued a general rain advisory Tuesday warning swimmers, surfers and other water users that rain brings urban runoff, which can cause bacteria levels to rise significantly in ocean and bay waters — especially near storm drains, creeks, rivers and lagoon outlets.

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Christmas Storm Drops Significant Rain Across Inland Areas, As Well As A Little Snow

/in , /by /The San Diego Union-Tribuneby Gary Robbins

A fast moving Pacific storm blew through San Diego County on Christmas Day, dropping an inch or more of rain in some areas while also producing snow furries in Julian and the local mountains. The system had largely moved off to the east by 4 p.m. Tuesday, though forecasters said sporadic showers were possible Tuesday night. Here is a sample of the 24-hour rainfall totals through 5 p.m. Tuesday: Julian, 1.51’’; Lake Cuyamaca, 1.42”; Pine Hills, 1.10”; Ramona, 1.06”; Descanso, 1.03”; Henshaw Dam, 0.80”; Santee, 0.65”; Fallbrook, 0.62”; Alpine, 0.53”; San Marcos, 0.52”; San Diego International Airport, 0.18”.

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City and SDG&E Are At Loggerheads Over $98.8 Million In Utility Relocation Costs For Pure Water Project

/in , /by /The San Diego Union-Tribuneby Jeff McDonald

One of the most expensive capital projects in city history — a massive water-recycling plant — is costing almost $100 million more than expected because San Diego Gas & Electric is declining to pay to relocate its equipment to make way for the project. At the request of Mayor Kevin Faulconer, the San Diego City Council has agreed to pay SDG&E $35 million to move gas and power lines so work can start on Pure Water San Diego, the $3 billion plan to promote water-independence by treating wastewater and returning it to city taps.

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Claude “Bud” Lewis Carlsbad Desalination Plant Celebrates Three Years, 40 Billion Gallons Of Water

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

It was just three years ago that the nation’s largest, most technologically advanced and energy-efficient desalination plant came on line in Carlsbad. The plant provides San Diego County with more than 50 million gallons of high-quality, locally controlled, water every day. It is a foundational water supply for the county that helps to minimizes the region’s vulnerability to drought or other water supply emergencies.

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Otay Water District Using Drones To Survey Facilities

/in , /by /The Daily Transcript

The Otay Water District recently began using drones to assist district personnel with water-facility inspections. The district, which distributes water to more than 225,000 customers in southeastern San Diego County, is using the drones primarily to survey its reservoirs, pump stations and a recycled water treatment plant, according to a news release. “The District’s use of drone technology is a reflection of its continued process improvement philosophy to conduct efficient maintenance operations, improve the safety of its workers, and ultimately deliver greater value to its customers,” the release stated.

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‘Women in Water’ Conference Aims To Expand Career Options

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

It boils down to bringing more women into the water and wastewater industry. That’s the central message from organizers of the second annual Women in Water – Exploring Career Pathways conference set for Jan. 17 at the Center for Water Studies at Cuyamaca College in El Cajon. Registration for the day-long series of workshops and panel discussions is open through Jan. 15.

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CWA Vote Entitlement Percentage Down For Rainbow MWD, FPUD

/in , /by /Village News (Fallbrook)by Joe Naiman Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

The San Diego County Water Authority board meeting Dec. 6 approved the 2019 vote entitlements for SDCWA member agencies, and the weighted vote for the Rainbow Municipal Water District and the Fallbrook Public Utility District will decrease from the agencies’ 2018 vote entitlements. The Rainbow Municipal Water District will have a 3.99 percent share of the CWA’s weighted vote total during calendar year 2019 board meetings. Rainbow had 4 percent of the 2018 weighed vote. FPUD’s weighted vote, which was 2.32 percent in 2018, will drop to 2.30 percent for the 2019 meetings. The U.S. Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton share of the weighted vote will remain at 0.09 percent.

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What Will Become Of The Old Carlsbad Power Plant Site?

/in , /by /The San Diego Union-Tribuneby Phil Diehl

The seaside Encina Power Station, a Carlsbad landmark since the 1950s with its iconic boxy concrete building and 400-foot smokestack, has officially been retired to prepare for demolition. Owner NRG Energy Inc. switched off the old plant at 11:59 p.m. Dec. 11 and turned on its replacement. The new, smaller, more efficient “peaker” facility can be fired up in 10 minutes to meet the demands of a summer heat wave, a fallen transmission line or some other sudden development on the power grid.

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