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

Strongest Storms Hits Already Soggy Northern California

/in /by /The Associated Press (as published by Santa Cruz Sentinel)

The strongest of this week’s drenching storms moved ashore Thursday in Northern California, raising the risk of flooding and mudslides in the region of already soggy hillsides and swollen rivers. Flood and wind warnings were in place again north of San Francisco, where residents along the Russian River stacked sandbags to protect their properties. The river overtopped its banks in some areas and flooded streets Wednesday, but began to drop later in the day. The wine region community never dried out after damaging flooding during storms last month.

 

Full Story

California Water Regulators Extend Emergency Drought Regulations

/in /by /The Wall Street Journalby Jim Carlton

California water regulators on Wednesday extended emergency drought regulations, despite calls to eliminate them after heavy rain and snow this winter. The action by the State Water Resources Control Board in Sacramento extends the drought rules which were set to expire at the end of this month, until the agency can reassess the state’s water situation in May when California’s rainy season typically draws to a close. Rain has refilled state reservoirs, and major snow storms have boosted water supply. Drought conditions have eased across most of the state, and Northern California has emerged from the drought.

 

Full Story

Drought’s Not Over Yet—State Water Board Urges More Conservation

/in /by /Times of San Diegoby Chris Jennewein Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

California may be getting near-record rain and snow, but the state Water Resources Control Board isn’t ready to call an end to the drought. The board on Wednesday extended its existing water conservation regulations, which prohibit wasteful practices such as watering lawns right after rain, until the next meeting in May. “We are beyond happy that water conditions continue to improve this year, but the rainy season isn’t over yet and some areas of the state continue to suffer significant drought impacts,” said Chair Felicia Marcus.

Full Story

California Retains Drought Measures

/in /by /The Associated Press (As published by NBC San Diego)

Water regulators in California on Wednesday extended what are now largely symbolic conservation measures lingering from the drought after the state has seen one of the wettest winters in years. Regulators decided to retain the measures at least until spring as a precaution against the possible return of dry weather. “I don’t think there’s just one way to go,” Felicia Marcus, chair off the State Water Resources Control Board, said after several local water districts urged members to lift the regulations. “The better decision is to extend it and see later where we are.”

 

Full Story

OPINION: Brown’s Big Legacy Projects Could Be Trump’s Targets

/in /by /The Fresno Beeby Dan Walters Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

Gov. Jerry Brown devoted most of last month’s State of the State address to excoriating Donald Trump, who had been president for just four days. “We have seen the bald assertion of alternative facts,” Brown complained. “We have heard the blatant attacks on science. Familiar signposts of our democracy – truth, civility, working together – have been obscured or swept aside.” However, buried in Brown’s anti-Trump screed were two paragraphs of semi-cordiality:

 

Full Story

OPINION: Outrageous Water Charge For Our Agricultural Ranch

/in /by /Valley Roadrunner (Valley Center) Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

Yesterday our ranch got this water bill from Yuima.   The charge last month for the MET/SDCWA FIXED FEE was $297.41.  This month it is $3400.82 and Yuima tells me that we will pay that every month.  They also said it is a complete pass through to those two entities. Our ranch is struggling and we have lost a considerable amount of money the last two year.  Our well levels have decreased and our usage of Yuima water has greatly increased.  This month and last month were small but we have paid as much as $59K for one month.

Full Story

Otay Water District’s Ambitious Plan to Bring in Desalinated Water From Mexico

/in /by /NBC San Diegoby May Tjoa Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

Even as California residents debate whether we are free from the drought, local water agencies are looking for ways to increase their water supply. The Otay Water District is working on a project that would involve desalinated water from a new plant being built in Rosarito, Mexico. The district wants to build a 3.5 mile pipeline from the U.S-Mexico border to its 36.7 million gallon reservoir in Otay Mesa. The pipeline would transport some of that desalinated water to customers in Spring Valley, La Presa, Rancho San Diego, Jamul and eastern Chula Vista.

Full Story

How San Diego Went From Booster to Skeptic on the State’s Massive Water Project

/in /by /Voice of San Diegoby Ry Rivard Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority
Quoted: Jim Madaffer

Gov. Jerry Brown wants to build two 35-mile underground tunnels to keep water coming south through the Sacramento-San Joaquin Bay Delta. The San Diego County Water Authority used to pine for such a plan. But now, emboldened by its drought-proofing projects and wary of shocking ratepayers, the agency is aggressively questioned Brown’s delta tunnels. For over 50 years, the San Diego County Water Authority championed projects that bring water to Southern California from Northern California. But no more.

Full Story

Planners Report on Implementing Groundwater Law

/in /by /AgAlert (Sacramento)by Christinte Souza

With a key deadline approaching, people involved in groundwater management say cooperation will be needed to accomplish goals set forth in the 2014 Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. Local agencies must form Groundwater Sustainability Agencies by June 30. The local GSAs will make decisions that affect groundwater use and fees, as they develop local Groundwater Sustainability Plans. Plans for groundwater basins identified as “critically overdrafted” must be in place by 2020; all others must be in effect by 2022.

Full Story

California Water Venture Tied to Trump Sees Prospects Rise After Years of Setbacks

/in /by /The Sacramento Beeby Stuart Leavenworth

Until Donald Trump won the presidency, prospects looked bleak for Cadiz, a California company that has struggled for years to secure federal permits to transform Mojave Desert groundwater into liquid gold. With the change of administration, a new day is dawning. In December, the National Governors Association circulated a preliminary list of infrastructure projects provided by the Trump transition team, and Cadiz’s was on the list. The company’s stock price rose on that news, part of a trend that has seen Cadiz’s valuation more than double – to roughly $14 a share – since the election.

Full Story