Mexico and the United States said Monday they had reached an agreement that involves Mexico immediately sending more water from their shared Rio Grande basin to Texas farmers after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened tariffs and sanctions earlier this month.
Over the past few years, Lake Oroville’s water levels have significantly recovered following years of drought that depleted the state’s reservoirs to concerningly low levels. Above-average snowfall in the winter of 2023 and 2024 helped the reservoir recover. Although less snow fell this year, the lake is expected to reach its capacity this spring as snow melts, signaling positive news for California.
As former San Diego County Water Authority Board Chairs, we heard and responded to demands from the region’s working families, civic and business leaders in the 1990s when our only major water source dried up.
Collectively, with our member agencies, we then spent three decades relentlessly securing new water supplies and investing in multi-billion-dollar upgrades that will last for generations. We remained steadfast in making the necessary and difficult decisions to support the entire San Diego region.
Carlsbad’s residential water and sewer rates will increase 20% on July 1 and a total of 49% over the next three years under a plan approved Tuesday by the City Council. Several residents opposed the rate hikes, but city staffers said they are needed to pass along a 14% increase in the price of water purchased from the San Diego County Water Authority and to cover inflation and the rising costs of maintenance and capital improvements.
The story: For more than 80 years, the San Diego County Water Authority and its 22 member agencies have worked together to deliver safe and reliable water to more than 3.3 million people. Despite climate challenges and a limited local water supply, strategic investments ensure that water continues flowing to support homes, businesses and the economy — all day, every day.
Thousands of feet below the snowy summit of Mt. San Jacinto, a formidable feat of engineering and grit makes life as we know it in Southern California possible. The 13-mile-long San Jacinto Tunnel was bored through the mountain in the 1930s by a crew of about 1,200 men who worked day and night for six years, blasting rock and digging with machinery.
I have a special podcast interview scheduled next week with Daniel Denham, the general manager of the San Diego County Water Authority. It could not come at a better time. This week, San Diego City Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera said it may be time for the city to begin discussing leaving or dissolving the Water Authority.
Outside of major cities like Fresno and Clovis, drinking-water quality for San Joaquin Valley residents can be dicey.
The Valley is full of examples of rural water systems failing to either produce enough supply or deliver fresh water that is not tainted by contaminants, be they manufactured, like farming chemicals, or naturally occurring elements in local soils like arsenic.
The previous six months have proven to be a tale of the haves and have-nots when it comes to atmospheric river events impacting the West Coast.
Forecasters are warning of elevated fire risks for all of California come fall, especially in the north, saying that the vegetation that benefited from rain and snow in Northern California will become potential fuel for wildfires later this year.
