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Opinion: California’s Water Battles Continue Despite Record Rain and Snow

/in , , /by /CalMattersby Dan Walters

On Monday, California water officials slogged through deep snow 7,000 feet above sea level, west of Lake Tahoe, to affirm what everyone already knew: A series of Pacific storms has generated record-level amounts of precipitation, filling reservoirs, inundating low-lying towns and fields and threatening more disastrous flooding as the Sierra snowpack melts.

Its negative aspects aside, the immense amount of rain and snow is welcome relief from drought that has plagued the state for the past three years.

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Spring and Sewage Are in the Air Near San Diego

/in , , /by /Eosby Krystal Vasquez

Public health officials have long known that sewage-ladened coastal waters threaten the health of swimmers and surfers. However, new research shows that this common form of water pollution might also pose health risks to those who stay ashore.

Bacteria and pollutants found in sewage-tainted water can be ejected into the atmosphere via sea spray aerosols—tiny droplets that form when waves break—according to a study published in Environmental Science and Technology.

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Rains Worsen San Diego’s Most Dangerous Dam

/in , /by /San Diego Readerby Sheila Pell Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

Lake Hodges Dam has received the state’s worst possible safety rating, leaving the city with another delay in making repairs some say are decades overdue.

Last month, the state’s Division of Safety of Dams downgraded its condition from poor to unsatisfactory due to seismic issues, rating the hazard “extremely high.” The 105-year-old city dam is at the end of its lifespan.

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Santa Fe Irrigation Board Approves Water Rate Increases

/in , /by /Rancho Santa Fe Reviewby Karen Billing Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

Santa Fe Irrigation District customers will see an increase in water rates this spring as the board voted on March 28 to approve the new rate hike. In the 4-1 vote, Director Sandy Johnson representing Rancho Santa Fe was opposed. The new rates went into effect on April 1 and customers will see the impacts on bi-monthly bills in June.

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Paso Robles City Council Greenlights Funding for Ambitious Recycled Water Project

/in , /by /KSBYby Austin Herbaugh

The Paso Robles City Council has approved millions in funding for an ambitious recycled water project.

The project involves building a 4.5-mile pipeline that will carry recycled water to vineyards and parks on the east side of the city.

“I think it’ll save water and it goes back into the ground,” said Doris Vermi, who lives near Paso Robles.

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Nevada Legislature Bill Would Urge Federal Government to Protect the Colorado River

/in , /by /Fox 5 Las Vegasby Michael Bell

If passed, a bill in the Nevada Legislature would urge the United States Bureau of Reclamation to consider more measures to protect and manage the Colorado River.

SJR 3 reads that the Colorado River is the most vital water source in Nevada, and much of the western states, including 22 Native American tribes and Mexico.

Ninety percent of Southern Nevada’s water supply comes from the Colorado River via Lake Mead, which is still facing unprecedented drought and aridification.

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San Elijo JPA Announces $18.3M Project for Water Treatment Upgrades

/in , /by /North County Current

A project announced by the San Elijo Joint Powers Authority on Monday, April 3, aims to capture more than 7 million gallons of stormwater per year and redirect pollutants from entering the San Elijo Lagoon, in addition to other water infrastructure improvements.

The $18.3 million project, recently approved by JPA directors, involves upgrades to drainage and water treatment infrastructure in Encinitas, according to a San Elijo JPA news release. Work is slated for 2024 and expected to take 10 months to complete.

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MWD Awards Contract to Rehabilitate Skinner Treatment Plant Ozone Contactor Walls

/in , /by /Valley Newsby Joe Naiman Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

The walls of the ozone contactors at the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California’s Robert A. Skinner Water Treatment Plant are experiencing cracks, and the March 14 MWD board meeting included the award of a contract to rehabilitate the structure walls of two of the contactors.

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Otay Water District Opens 2023 Landscape Makeover Contest

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

The Otay Water District has launched its annual WaterSmart Landscape Contest as part of a continuing effort to encourage water conservation. Outdoor watering accounts for more than half of residential water use. The resident judged to have the most attractive, drought-toleranat garden receives a nursery gift card, among other prizes, and the title “Best in District.”

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Sierra Nevada Snowpack: One of the Largest on Record

/in , , /by /California Department of Water Resources Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

Following three consecutive years of drought in California, the Sierra Nevada snowpack is one of the most bountiful in more than 40 years. While the record snowpack and snow water equivalent is great news for water supply, there are concerns the record snowpack could create flooding issues.

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