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SF Mayor Breed Vetoes Supervisors’ Resolution that Supported State River Plan

/in , /by /San Francisco Chronicleby Kurtis Alexander

San Francisco Mayor London Breed broke her silence on California’s latest water war Friday, saying she wouldn’t support a state river restoration plan that would mean giving up some of the city’s pristine Hetch Hetchy water. In addition to her unexpected announcement, Breed vetoed a resolution passed unanimously by the Board of Supervisors earlier this week that offered the city’s blessing for the little-known, but far-reaching state initiative.

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U.C. Davis Law’s Environmental Law Center Releases Proposition 3 White Paper

/in , /by /California WaterBlog (Davis)by Richard Frank

The U.C. Davis School of Law’s California Environmental Law & Policy Center has published a detailed analysis of one of the most controversial initiative measures facing California voters on the November 6, 2018 general election ballot: Proposition 3.  California’s Proposition 3: A Policy Analysis provides a detailed summary and analysis of the proposed “Water Supply and Water Quality Act of 2018.”  If enacted, Proposition 3 would authorize the sale of $8.877 billion in state general obligation bonds to finance a wide array of water infrastructure, safe drinking water, groundwater management and watershed and fisheries improvement projects.

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Local Elementary School Finds Lead in Water

/in , /by /FOX 5 San Diego

A San Diego elementary school is shutting off part of their drinking water supply due to unsafe lead levels, district officials announced Friday. Six water fixtures at Fletcher Elementary School, a K-5 school on Bobolink Way in the Linda Vista area, displayed higher lead levels than the district’s 5ppb safety limit during testing at the school. Most of the fixtures had lead levels under 10 parts per billion, but one — a cafeteria kitchen faucet — showed levels of about 45 parts per billion, nine times higher than the district’s limit and three times higher than the federal limit of 15 parts per billion.

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Oroville Dam Repairs Aren’t Enough, Feds Warn. Should State be Forced to Plan for a Mega-Flood?

/in , /by /The Sacramento Beeby Ryan Sabalow and Dale Kasler

Federal regulators are raising new concerns about the troubled Oroville Dam, telling California officials their recently rebuilt flood-control spillways likely couldn’t handle a mega-flood. Although the chances of such a disastrous storm are considered extremely unlikely — the magnitude of flooding in the federal warning is far greater than anything ever experienced — national dam safety experts say the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s concerns could have costly repercussions for California. The public agencies that store water in Lake Oroville may be forced to spend millions of dollars upgrading the dam.

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Water Managers Along Colorado River Figure Out How To Live With Less

/in , /by /KJZZ 91.5 (Tempe, Ariz.)by Bret Jaspers

Climate change is growing the gap between the river’s supply, and the demands in the communities that rely on it, including seven western U.S. states and Mexico. The federal government recently released proposals called Drought Contingency Plans designed to keep the Colorado River’s biggest reservoirs from falling to levels where water is unable to be sent through the dams that hold up Lakes Powell and Mead.

 

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Fall Back and Save Water As Clocks Change

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

Whether you are excited about an extra hour of sleep or dour about losing an hour of sunlight at the end of the day, daylight saving time ends Sunday, Nov. 4. The annual adjustment is a great reminder to perform several important household tasks, such as replacing smoke alarm batteries and restocking emergency preparedness kits. The San Diego County Water Authority asks residents to add one more important task when changing the clocks: Adjust irrigation systems to save water in the months ahead.

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A CVWD Candidate Tries to Tip the Balance of the Board Away From Farmers. Here’s Why

/in , /by /The Desert Sun (Palm Springs)by Corinne S Kennedy and Ian James

The election for the District 3 seat on the Coachella Valley Water District board could be pivotal for the agency’s future as a challenger works to unseat the current board president, potentially tilting the balance of power away from large agricultural landowners. Ed Muzik, general manager of the Hi-Desert Water District in Yucca Valley, has tried to unseat incumbent John Powell Jr., one of three farmers on the water board, with claims that he is the “non-conflicted” candidate in the race.

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OPINION: Water Supplies Sufficient for 2019 and Beyond

/in , /by /Ramona Sentinelby Jim Madaffer Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

A welcome rainstorm in mid-October provided the first significant relief from months of very hot and dry weather — and then the weather turned hot and dry once again. That cycle is a reminder of two important facts of life of San Diego County:

  • On average, we get about 10 inches of rain a year — far less than what we need to sustain our $220 billion economy and 3.3 million people.
  • With continued investments in water supply reliability and water-use efficiency, we can continue to thrive in this amazing place.

As we look toward the rainy season, it’s worth taking stock of why we have sufficient supplies for 2019 regardless of the weather.

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In a First, California Abolishes Compton’s Water District Board After Years of Dirty-Water Allegations

/in , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Angel Jennings

State officials on Wednesday removed the elected board and general manager of a water district that for years has been accused of serving brown, smelly water to its customers in Compton. With a 22-page decree, the State Water Resources Control Board abolished Sativa Los Angeles County Water District’s five-member board of directors and ousted its manager. In their place, the state appointed the county’s Department of Public Works to temporarily run the district while officials seek to merge the small district, which delivers water to about 1,600 homes, with a larger provider.

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Officials: Oroville Dam Spillway Will Be Ready For Rain

/in , /by /Capital Public Radio (Sacramento)by Jonathan J. Cooper

California water officials said Wednesday that the $1.1 billion spillway at the nation’s tallest dam will be in full working order if it’s needed this winter, nearly two years after it was damaged and thousands were forced to flee. Crews have finished pouring concrete on the main spillway at Oroville Dam, though it still needs to cure for a month and other work is necessary before it can be used, the California Department of Water Resources announced. Crews will also continue pouring concrete on an adjacent emergency spillway.

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