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‘Women In Water’ Symposium Focuses On Career Opportunities And Advancement

Girls and women interested in learning about career and advancement opportunities in the water and wastewater industry are encouraged to register for the Cuyamaca College Center for Water Studies’ second annual Women in Water – Exploring Career Pathways symposium on Jan. 17. The all-day conference comprises two tracks of speakers: one for women contemplating a career change, military veterans transitioning to civilian life, and women already in the water and wastewater industry who are seeking professional development opportunities; the second for scores of high school girls in the region wanting to learn more about career opportunities as they near graduation.

Is Valley Drought Back? 2018 Ends As A Drier-Than-Normal Year

In a state where dead trees in the Sierra Nevada still stand as a testament to a severe seven-year stretch of dry weather that ended in 2017, some nervously wonder whether the state may slide back into a drought. In the eastern Pacific Ocean near the equator, ocean temperatures are pretty stable. That means there’s no El Niño or La Niña sitting out there to help drive a chain of storms to dump rainfall on the Valley and snow in the Sierra Nevada as the calendar closes on 2018.

Water Veteran Kirby Brill Appointed Interim GM For Inland Empire Utilities Agency

With more than 30 years in water resource management and planning, Kirby Brill has come out of retirement to serve as interim general manager at Inland Empire Utilities Agency (IEUA). The IEUA Board of Directors unanimously appointed Brill to the agency’s top management position at the board’s Dec. 14 meeting. Brill retired in mid-2017 after having served for 17 years as general manager for Mojave Water Agency (MWA) based in Apple Valley. Although he began his career in the private sector he transitioned to the public sector when he took a position with the Orange County Water District (OCWD).

Water District Employee Honored

Lee Hicks, Senior Water Systems Technician, was Valley Center Municipal Water District’s 2018 recipient of the Manager’s Award recognizing excellence among the District’s staff members. A 19-year employee, Hicks was nominated from among his co-workers for the award.  The nomination cited his commitment and willingness to go the “extra mile,” in doing his job.  The nomination also It also mentioned his willingness to fill-in for others on short notice.  

 

Arbitrator Admonishes Water Authority After It Sued Five Tribes

The San Diego County Water Authority tried to interfere with the delivery of water to five local Indian tribes based on illegal actions and illogical arguments, a former federal judge has ruled. Last year, five San Diego Indian tribes got back the rights to water taken from them a century ago. In response, the San Diego County Water Authority this spring blamed the tribes for cutting into its bottom line and sued them for $2 million.

 

OPINION: State’s New Voluntary Water Agreements Are A Good Deal For Delta Fish, Valley Farms

Over the past three years, the State Water Resources Control Board has conducted a public process to increase the water flowing to the Sacramento-San Joaquin Rivers Delta with the intent of improving declining fish populations. However, an increase in river flow means a reduction in supplies for Californians, who are dependent on them for their lives and livelihoods. There are two approaches to this: painful, mandatory cuts to water supplies or voluntary agreements among water users to achieve specific goals in the Bay-Delta Water Quality Control Plan update.

Gusty Winds May Raise Wildfire Risk Over Southern California Into Friday

A period of moderate Sundowner winds will rattle coastal areas of Southern California into early Friday. Gusts to 45 mph are likely with the potential for a few locally higher gusts from parts of Santa Barbara County to just north and west of Los Angeles. Gusts will be strong enough to make for difficult travel with lightweight and high-profile vehicles. The combination of dry air and gusty winds will raise the risk of wildfire ignition and quick spread of any existing fires.

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

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.

Trump’s Rule A Wild Card For Western Water Supplies

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.

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

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.