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Opinion: Farmers Flush With Water Now, But State Still Hasn’t Prepared for the Next Drought

/in , , /by /GV Wireby Kerry Jackson

For most of the state, the drought is over. The Central Valley is receiving their full state water supply allocation and farmers don’t need to pull water from the ground to keep their crops from dying of thirst. But that doesn’t mean the signs along Interstate 5 and Highway 99 grumbling about the “Politicians Created Water Crisis” and the Valley’s man-made dust bowl, and asking if “Growing Food Is Wasting Water?” should be taken down.

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Illegal Levels of Mercury and More Emitted From East Valley Power Plant, Feds Say

/in , /by /Desert Sunby Janet Wilson

Fourteen months after Environmental Protection Agency inspectors quietly notified the operator of the Desert View Power Plant that it had repeatedly emitted illegally high levels of mercury and other dangerous pollutants upwind of the low-income east Coachella valley community of Mecca, federal regulators will meet with residents and community groups on Tuesday night.

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One of 11 gunite bench sections along the Flume under construction in 1925. The Flume is the Vista Irrigation District’s main water conduit and has been indispensable in the area’s development. When water first flowed through the Flume, the District served a population of 337, compared to serving 134,000 customers today. Photo: Vista Irrigation District celebrates

Vista Irrigation District Celebrates 100 Years of Service

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

The Vista Irrigation District, one of the San Diego County Water Authority’s 24 member agencies, is celebrating its 100th anniversary.

In the 1920s, citrus and avocado farming in the Vista area increased so quickly that the growing region faced the real danger of running out of water. Completing the Henshaw Dam in 1923 made it possible for the Vista community to receive a reliable water source instead of relying on well water.

The arrival of the new water source sparked discussion about forming a water district to secure additional imported water to make continued growth possible. On August 28, 1923, voters approved the formation of the Vista Irrigation District (VID) in a landslide: 104 votes to four votes in a 100% voter turnout.

One of 11 gunite bench sections along the Flume under construction in 1925. The Flume is the Vista Irrigation District’s main water conduit and has been indispensable in the area’s development. When water first flowed through the Flume, the District served a population of 337, compared to serving 134,000 customers today. Photo: Vista Irrigation District celebrates

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Scripps Oceanography to Develop Sewage Contamination Tool, Amid Calls For Emergency Declaration

/in , , /by /The San Diego Union Tribuneby Tammy Murga

In front of Imperial Beach’s deserted shoreline dotted with red “warning” signs, members of San Diego’s legislative delegation announced Friday that $3 million from the state budget will fund a new model aimed at more accurately predicting sewage contamination days in advance at South County beaches.

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Opinion: Sustainable Solutions Needed to Navigate the Water Crisis in the West

/in , , /by /Las Vegas Sunby Pat Mulroy

When I sat down a year ago to pen a guest Where I Stand column, the water situation on the Colorado River looked very different. The previous winter had brought no relief to the drought-stricken region and the reservoirs were threatening to drop to catastrophic levels with the very real possibility that our neighbors south of us could be cut off from river water entirely.

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Amid Cutbacks, Heat and Drought, Arizona Farmers Get Help From University of Arizona

/in , , /by /KJZZby Phil Latzman

With three-quarters of Arizona’s fresh water supply going to farmlands, the recent reductions imposed on Colorado River supply are having a huge impact on agriculture in the state. “It’s all about stretching that water dollar or that gallon of water a little bit further.” Paul “Paco” Ollerton is a third-generation farmer in Casa Grande, who says he’d already been squeezing every last drop for his fields.

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Can Wastewater Help Us Adapt to Climate Change?

/in , , /by /LA Progressive by Frederick Clayton

Population growth and climate change are stretching America’s water supplies to the limit, and tapping new sources is becoming more difficult each year—in some cases, even impossible. New Mexico, California, Arizona, and Colorado are facing the nation’s most significant strains on water supplies. But across the entire American Southwest, water stress has become the norm.

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Agency Veteran Dan Denham Appointed GM of San Diego County Water Authority

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

The San Diego County Water Authority board of directors has voted unanimously to appoint Dan Denham as general manager, following the retirement of former GM Sandra L. Kerl in June.

“We are fortunate to have Dan’s knowledge of the San Diego County Water Authority and his depth of experience managing multiple programs, including the landmark agreements that have ensured a safe and reliable water supply for San Diego County,” said Mel Katz, chair of the Water Authority board, after the vote on Thursday.

Before joining the agency in 2006, Denham served in various capacities at the city of San Diego’s Metropolitan Wastewater Department, Financial Management Department and mayor’s office. He holds undergraduate degrees in public administration and economics, and a graduate degree in public administration, all from San Diego State University.

Dan Denham-Water Authority General Manager-Denham

San Diego County Water Authority General Manager Dan Denham. Photo: San Diego County Water Authority

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San Diego’s Fire Weather Risk Worsens Over 50 Years

/in , /by /Axios San Diegoby Kate Murphy

Fire weather days in San Diego increased by 3 days annually on average between 1973 and 2022, per an analysis from Climate Central, a nonprofit climate science research organization, Axios’ Andrew Freedman and Kavya Beheraj report.

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As Companies Eye Massive Lithium Deposits in California’s Salton Sea, Locals Anticipate a Mixed Bag

/in , /by /Inside Climate Newsby June Kim

When Sonia Herbert, 78, opened a restaurant in Bombay Beach, a small California neighborhood about 80 miles northeast of San Diego, she welcomed the bustle of tourists and locals visiting the Salton Sea shoreline. Located in Imperial County, the lake and its wetlands offer crucial habitats for migratory birds and a refuge for people from the hot desert sun.

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