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Santa Fe Irrigation District Announces Hiring Of New General Manager

The Santa Fe Irrigation District has hired a new general manager to lead the district, following the retirement in December of long-time general manager Michael Bardin. Albert Lau, currently the director of engineering and planning with the Padre Dam Municipal Water District in East County, will assume his new role on Monday, March 4. The Santa Fe district provides water to about 20,000 residents of Rancho Santa Fe, Solana Beach and Fairbanks Ranch.

Ed Sprague Named President Of OMWD’s Board Of Directors For Fourth Time

At Olivenhain Municipal Water District’s January 16 board meeting, Ed Sprague assumed the position of president for the fourth time. Sprague will serve as president for the 2019-2020 term. In addition, Bob Topolovac is serving as vice president, Larry Watt as treasurer, Robert Kephart as secretary, and Christy Guerin as director and San Diego County Water Authority representative. Sprague began serving on the board in 2008 to represent Division 5, and has previously served as president for two consecutive terms between 2009 and 2012, and again from 2015 through 2016.

Arizona Water Leaders Lean On Developers To Support Drought Plan

As the Colorado River teeters on the brink of shortage, water leaders in Arizona are begging developers to pressure legislators to sign off on a drought plan, while also aiming to reassure those developers that despite a drier future, it’s safe to come to Arizona and build. “We need all of you to go to your favorite legislator and express your support for the Drought Contingency Plan,” Tom Buschatzke, the director of the Arizona Department of Water Resources, told a group of 250 development industry representatives and others during a breakfast meeting Friday. “I implore you.”

A Recap Of California’s Water Year So Far

When the skies clear and the weather gets calmer, it’s a good time to take stock of our storms and see where we are with water in California. Starting with snowpack, Sierra storms have been strong lately, with many adding feet of fresh, new snow. As of Monday, the snow is above average at 111 percent, and that number is expected to grow with additional snow from the last storm. About 30 percent of California’s water comes from snowpack, so when that metric is in good shape, it tends to set the tone for other indicators.

California Water Projects Would Get Boost Under Budget Fund

Nearly one million Californians use contaminated water to drink, shower, and cook, but the state’s politicians want to change that—including by amending the constitution or taxing certain products. Two state assembly members, Republican Devon Mathis and Democrat Eduardo Garcia, filed language Jan. 16 to amend the state constitution to require that 2 percent of the general fund budget be set aside each year for water quality, supply, and delivery projects in the thirsty state.

OPINION: Why Gov. Newsom Should Save The Delta Ecosystem

The confluence of California’s two great rivers, the Sacramento and the San Joaquin, create the largest estuary on the West Coast. Those of who live here call it, simply, the Delta. It is essential to California’s future. That’s why we must save it. In the early 1800s, this estuary teemed with salmon migrating to and from the rivers of the Sierra Nevada. Salmon were, as documented in photographs, so plentiful that you could harvest them from the river with a pitchfork.

San Diego Region Water Supply

With recent wet weather San Diego has been experiencing, you may wonder what effect it could have on our region’s water supply. Jeff Stephenson from the San Diego County Water Authority stopped by to give more of an outlook on San Diego’s water.

OPINION: Raising Shasta Dam Won’t Solve California Water Woes

The proposed raising of Shasta Dam represents just more of the same shenanigans in California’s long water history. As with most dam projects, it will cause more harm than whatever positives might accrue from such an action. California already has 1,300 (named) dams. More water storage projects will not solve the basic fact that the state’s finite amount of water is incapable of meeting all of the demands. This deficit has been created primarily by the transformation of a semi-arid area— the Central Valley — by an infusion of water from northern California.

San Diego Airport Captures Rainwater To Prevent Pollution

As rain continues in the county, the San Diego International Airport is doing its part to prevent pollution of the ocean and bay. When heavy rain comes, much of it runs off into bodies of water, adding to pollution problems. The airport recently installed one of the region’s largest storm water capture systems. The new system captures rain that falls on the Terminal 2 Parking Plaza, so that it can be recycled and put to good use. The water is diverted to the Central Utility Plant, where it is used in place of potable water in the airport’s cooling systems.

OPINION: California Needs To Explore New Approaches To Water

As we launch into the new year there is good news about one of our state’s most persistent problems – water. For as long as most of us can remember, water users have retreated into their corners, demanding their share of water, with all water-users suffering in the stalemate. Status-quo policy hasn’t helped struggling fish populations, farms, or urban users, including residents of Santa Clara Valley and the East Bay.