You are now in California and the U.S. Media Coverage category.

California Groundwater Law Means Big Changes Above Ground, Too

/in , /by /Water Deeply (New York)by Matt Weiser

California’s new groundwater management law is not a sports car. It moves more like a wagon train. The rules do not require critically overdrafted aquifers to achieve “sustainability” until 2040. But 22 years from now, once they finally get there, lives will be transformed. The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), adopted in 2014, will change more than groundwater. The requirement to end overdraft will also transform land use, a massive side effect yet to be widely recognized. Parts of California will literally look different once the law takes full effect. It could put some farmers out of business. It could change how others farm.

Full Story

New River Parkway Key Component In Restoration Efforts

/in , /by /Calexico Chronicle (Imperial Valley, Calif.)by Mario Conde

The restoration of the New River has been in the works for decades, addressing an environmental issue and eyesore that affects mainly the west side of Calexico. But through legislation and the activism from residents affected by river pollution, progress has been achieved towards a permanent solution. Starting in Mexico, the river crosses the border in Calexico and snakes about 70 miles before emptying into the Salton Sea. Often saddled with the dubious honor of being the most polluted river in America, its murky water carries numerous pollutants and often produces a foul odor.

Full Story

California’s Destructive Summer Brings Blunt talk About Climate Change

/in , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Rong-Gong Lin II and Javier Panzar

At Scripps Pier in San Diego, the surface water reached the highest temperature in 102 years of records, 78.8 degrees. Palm Springs had its warmest July on record, with an average of 97.4 degrees. Death Valley experienced its hottest month on record, with the average temperature hitting 108.1. Park rangers said the heat was too much for some typically hardy birds that died in the broiling conditions. Across California, the nighttime brought little relief, recording the highest minimum temperature statewide of any month since 1895, rising to 64.9. California has been getting hotter for some time, but July was in a league of its own.

Full Story

Third Heat Wave In A Month Begins Monday In San Diego

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

Temperatures will soar to the upper 80s at the coast and the 102-104 range across some inland valleys on Monday and Tuesday as San Diego County experiences its third heat wave in a month, according to the National Weather Service. The above average temperatures are expected to last until the weekend, and monsoonal moisture could return by mid-week. An excessive heat watch will be in effect for all areas but the coast from 10 a.m. on Monday to 7 p.m. on Tuesday. Monday will be the hottest day.

Full Story

OPINION: California’s Leaky Bucket Theory Of Public Improvement

/in , /by /The Orange County Registerby Jon Coupal

Unfortunately, Californians have come to expect significant levels of waste and incompetence when it comes to government programs. Just last week, we learned that the “new” $290 million computer system for the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration — in the works for over a decade — was having significant problems with tax filers trying to submit their quarterly returns. Despite California being home to Silicon Valley and the best high-tech minds on the planet, the State of California has a sorry history of failure when implementing big computer projects.

Full Story

OPINION: Securing A Reliable Water Future

/in , /by /Ventura County Starby Steve Blois

The imported water that keeps most of Ventura County running comes from one main source — Northern California. It is delivered to us through the State Water Project. Protecting our supply — and our economy — means modernizing the heart of this delivery system hundreds of miles away in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. The state is on the verge of doing so with a project known as California WaterFix, with Ventura County securing an important role in managing its construction. After more than 11 long years of study, planning and debate, WaterFix is moving forward.

Full Story

Over-Billings On Water Meters In San Diego Topped $2 Million

/in , /by /The San Diego Union-Tribuneby Joshua Emerson Smith

When customers started complaining early last year about spiking water bills, authorities downplayed the situation. Water department officials repeatedly said that leaky toilets, broken sprinklers and the rising cost of water were likely to blame, even as customer complaints flooded into the agency’s public hotline for months. However, a recent analysis by the San Diego Union-Tribune has shown that single-family homes serviced by the city’s water department were collectively overcharged by more than $2 million last year — with some residents receiving bills for tens of thousands of dollars.

Full Story

OPINION: Historic Water Deal Provides Less Expensive, More Reliable Supplies

/in , /by /San Diego Downtown Newsby Mark Muir Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

A historic achievement for the San Diego region passed almost unnoticed when the San Diego County Water Authority’s board of directors adopted new wholesale water rates in late June. The rate-setting process highlighted how the Water Authority’s independent water supplies from the Colorado River are now both less expensive and more reliable than supplies from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. It’s an accomplishment that the region’s water officials started working toward two decades ago, and one that will bear fruit for decades to come.

Full Story

A Vicious Climate Cycle: Droughts Are Becoming Hotter, Raising Risk Of Wildfire, Scientists Say

/in , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Amina Khan

Droughts don’t just make a place drier. As new research shows, they also make it hotter. A team from UC Irvine that compared temperature changes across the U.S. found that temperatures rise faster in places under drought conditions than they do in places with average climates. This relationship could also raise the risk of concurrent heatwaves and wildfires, the researchers say. As global warming continues its upward climb, the phenomenon described in the journal Science Advances highlights another complex feedback loop that contributes to more extreme weather events — events that could have serious implications for human health and safety.

Full Story

Judge Clears Water Authority Delegates To Keep Meeting In Private

/in , /by /The San Diego Union-Tribuneby Ricky Young Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

A judge has ruled in favor of the San Diego County Water Authority, dismissing a lawsuit by an open government group that wanted the agency to hold certain gatherings of its board members in public. The water authority sends delegates to the Metropolitan Water District, a large regional organization based in Los Angeles. The San Diego water authority delegates meet regularly with no public notice or access — a situation challenged by attorney Cory Briggs in a lawsuit in June 2017. He cited the state’s open meetings law, the Ralph M. Brown Act.

Full Story