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Opinion: The Healthy Snowpack is an Upside of Recent Storms. But the Drought is Far From Over

/in , , /by /The San Diego Union-Tribune by The San Diego Union-Tribune Editorial Board

The powerful storms that have pounded California for the past two weeks have disrupted life statewide, leaving at least 19 dead, causing widespread flooding and closing or destroying iconic piers from Ocean Beach to Capitola. The precipitation has also done some good. Wednesday, the Sierra Nevada snowpack — which provides about 30 percent of the state’s water supply — was 226 percent of normal, the highest in at least 20 years. With two more storms looming, the snowpack is expected to keep growing ahead of an important April 1 measurement date for forecasters when it tends to peak.

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Erik A. Groset Appointed to Fill Vallecitos Water District’s Vacant Board Seat

/in , , /by /San Elijo Life.com

During a special meeting on Wednesday, January 11, 2023, the Vallecitos Water District Board of Directors selected Carlsbad resident Erik A. Groset to fill their vacant Division 4 Board seat. He will represent parts of San Marcos, Carlsbad, and portions of the Lake San Marcos community and assist in setting District water and sewer direction through November 5, 2024.

Groset is a La Costa Ridge resident in Vallecitos’ Division 4. He lives there with his wife, Tiffany, and two daughters. As a local startup entrepreneur and the CEO/Chairman of his own board, he is looking to give back to the community by serving on the Vallecitos Board of Directors. Groset looks to bring to the board his entrepreneurial spirit, fresh perspective, and passion for business and engineering.

Erik A Groset-Vallecitos Water District-Division 4 Board seat

The Vallecitos Water District Board of Directors selected Carlsbad resident Erik A. Groset to fill their vacant Division 4 Board seat. Photo: Vallecitos Water District

Giving back to the community

Groset has relevant public experience, having recently served on the board of advisors at the business school at California State University San Marcos. He is an alumnus of that university. Further, Groset volunteers for the technical career advisory board at Carlsbad High School.

Groset is joined by Directors Jim Pennock, Division 1, Jim Hernandez, Division 2, Craig Elitharp, Division 3, and Dr. Tiffany Boyd-Hodgson, Division 5, to make up the five-member Vallecitos Water District Board. The Board typically meets at 5:00 p.m. the first and third Wednesday of each month at the District’s Administration, Maintenance, and Operations facility located at 201 Vallecitos de Oro in San Marcos.

(Editors Note: The Vallecitos Water District is one of the San Diego County Water Authority’s 24 member agencies that deliver water across the San Diego County region.  As an independent, special district, Vallecitos is dedicated to providing water, wastewater, and reclamation services to over 105,000 people in a 45-square-mile area that includes San Marcos; the community of Lake San Marcos; portions of Carlsbad, Escondido and Vista; and other surrounding unincorporated areas.)

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California Suddenly Has So Much Snow. But Even This Extraordinary Bounty Isn’t Enough

/in , , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Hayley Smith

At the UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Laboratory in Donner Pass on Wednesday, snow was piled so high that lead scientist Andrew Schwartz no longer needed stairs to exit the second floor.

“We just walk directly out onto the snow!” Schwartz said. The nearly 11 feet of snow surrounding the lab was the deepest he’d seen so far this year.

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Nevada Outlines Framework for Colorado River Cuts as States Show Their Cards

/in , , /by /The Nevada Independent by Daniel Rothberg

At the end of last year, the seven states in the Colorado River Basin committed to once again work together and negotiate a consensus framework for making significant cuts to water use, an attempt to stabilize the nation’s two largest reservoirs and avoid an even deeper shortage crisis.

The states recommitted to considering a consensus deal, by Jan. 31, after several deadlines passed in 2022 — with seemingly irreconcilable differences over how to make painful cuts in a watershed relied upon by 40 million people who use the river for drinking water and agriculture.

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Another Onslaught of Atmospheric River Storms to Pummel California Through the Weekend

/in , , /by /FOX Weatherby Steven Yablonski and Brian Donegan

Another barrage of atmospheric rivers will slam into California starting Friday, with a series of storms continuing to hit the West Coast through the weekend and into early next week.

The Golden State caught a break Thursday from the onslaught of deadly atmospheric river storms that have greatly helped the ongoing drought situation but have battered California with heavy rain, high winds, flooding and mudslides.

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Water Officials’ Message: Golf Industry Must Do More to Meet Ongoing Drought

/in , /by /Palm Springs Desert Sunby Larry Bohannan

Even in the middle of a cool and wet winter in the Coachella Valley and California in general, officials of the Coachella Valley Water District have a blunt message for the desert’s golf course industry: Take the ongoing drought seriously, because changes could be coming to water availability sooner rather than later.

“We wanted to give the picture as we know it today where the state of play is for our water resources,” said Dr. Robert Cheng, assistant general manager for CVWD and one of the main speakers at a golf and water summit that attracted more than 150 golf industry officials Wednesday at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage. “We hope we paint a picture that is accurate, that is dire, that there is a need for additional actions from the golf industry to help them still maintain viability in this current situation.”

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IID’s JB Hamby Elected to Lead California’s Colorado River Board

/in , /by /The Desert Review

Imperial Irrigation District Vice President and Division 2 Director JB Hamby will serve as Chairman of the Colorado River Board of California following his unanimous election during Wednesday’s meeting held in Ontario, California, according to a press release.

Hamby has served on the Colorado River Board since April of 2021 and is IID’s fourth member to serve as its chairman. IID’s Executive Superintendent, President, and Division 1 Director Evan T. Hewes served as the board’s first chairman from 1938 to 1947, followed by the district’s Executive Officer Munson J. Dowd from 1962 to 1965, and last by Division 3 Director Lloyd Allen from 2002 to 2006.
As chairman, Hamby serves ex-officio as the Colorado River Commissioner for the State of California. The commissioner is responsible for conferring with representatives of the seven Colorado River basin states and United States on the use of Colorado River water and safeguarding the rights and interests of the state, its agencies, and citizens, pursuant to the federal Boulder Canyon Project Act and the California Water Code.
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RMWD Takes Care of Live Oak Park Bridge Brackets and Pipe Supports

/in , /by /Fallbrook Village Newsby Joe Naiman

When the County of San Diego approved a contract for the replacement of the Live Oak Park Road bridge which will impact two Rainbow Municipal Water District water mains, Rainbow utilized the county contract with Hazard Construction to add the water main relocation to the work.

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San Diego Farmers Say Rain Will Let Them Go Weeks Without Irrigation

/in , , /by /NBC 7 San Diegoby Omari Fleming Quoted: San Diego County Water Authority

Vendors at the Ocean Beach farmers market are singing rain’s praises after a series of storms that have passed through San Diego.

“I love it, we love it,” exclaimed farmer Mario Pasqual.

“We definitely need the water. You know, we haven’t had a lot of rain,” fellow farmer Eduardo Valdivia said.

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History on Wheels Honors Vallecitos Water District Service

/in , , /by /Water News Network

The Vallecitos Water District will honor its history when it moves a vintage service vehicle with a significant story to tell into its lobby this month. The District’s General Manager Glenn Pruim approved moving the 1946 “Willys” CJ2A Jeep into the lobby of its headquarters building as a museum display, with informational signage and photos depicting its activities.

The 1946 Jeep served the water district for decades. It was used to survey property. When this task was no longer feasible, the Jeep became a favorite public outreach tool, appearing in parades and public events in the Vallecitos service area. It made its final appearance at the 2010 San Marcos Christmas Parade, driven by Vallecitos Board Member Margaret E. “Betty” Ferguson, who had an affinity for the Jeep after serving in the Women’s U.S. Marine Corps.

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