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Appropriations Bill Includes More Than $73M for Bay Area Projects

/in , /by /SFGATE

The $1.5 trillion omnibus appropriations bill passed last week by the U.S. Congress includes more than $73 million for projects in the greater Bay Area, according to the office of Sen. Alex Padilla, D-California.

“This funding will go to local governments and community organizations that are directly serving our neighborhoods,” Padilla said in a statement. “Federal dollars will support projects to modernize our transportation infrastructure and spur economic growth. We are also investing in projects that will increase California’s capacity to treat patients and deliver mental health services.”

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San Diego Water Agencies Seek Inspiring WaterSmart Landscape Contest Entries

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

Eleven participating San Diego County water agencies invite homeowners to share their inspiring landscaping makeover stories by entering the 2022 WaterSmart Landscape Contest.

The annual contest recognizes outstanding WaterSmart residential landscapes. The winning landscape from each participating water agency will receive a prize valued at $250 and may be recognized in print and online publications. The deadline to apply is May 13, 2022.

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Why Your Water Bill is Rising

/in , , /by /Voice of San Diego by MacKenzie Elmer Quoted: San Diego County Water Authority

Two things are true about the cost of water in San Diego: the cost of bringing water here and maintaining the system that does it is rising, but the amount of water San Diegans consume is dropping.

In 1990, the average San Diegan used 235 gallons of drinkable water per day, according to the Water Authority’s records. By 2021, San Diegans cut that almost in half to 130 gallons per day. Megadroughts that triggered mandatory water cutbacks triggered better water conservation habits, which stuck.

But while San Diegans are using less, the costs they pay continue to rise. The cost of San Digeo’s water supply is expected to rise anywhere from 5.5 to 10 percent beginning in 2023, with hefty hikes continuing in the years thereafter.

“Long after I’m dust, these supplies will be valuable to this region,” said Gary Arant, who leads the Valley Center Municipal Water District, of the haul of water rights San Diego has locked up. “Right now, we’ve got a lot of water. It’s expensive, but I think the decisions we made were good.”

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Lake Powell Hits Historic Low, Raising Hydropower Concerns

/in , , /by /AP Newsby Sam Metz and Felicia Fonseca

A massive reservoir known as a boating mecca dipped below a critical threshold on Tuesday raising new concerns about a source of power that millions of people in the U.S. West rely on for electricity.

Lake Powell’s fall to below 3,525 feet (1,075 meters) puts it at its lowest level since the lake filled after the federal government dammed the Colorado River at Glen Canyon more than a half century ago — a record marking yet another sobering realization of the impacts of climate change and megadrought.

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With Dry Winter, California Readies Next Drought Actions

/in , , /by /Agri-Pulseby Brad Hooker

The Department of Water Resources plans to soon drop State Water Project allocations to 0%, following a temporary 15% bump after December storms. DWR Director Karla Nemeth outlined for the State Water Resources Control Board on Tuesday this and other coming actions.

DWR will resubmit a temporary urgency change petition (TUCP) to the board on Friday, after withdrawing the proposal in February. If approved, the emergency regulation will preserve stored supplies for critical human health and safety needs.

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‘It’s Hard to Be Optimistic.’ Here’s What Merced-Area Growers Face After a Dry Winter

/in , , /by /Merced Sun-Starby Abbie Lauten-scrivner

With surface water allocations down and costs up, Merced County’s new irrigation season is reflecting the impacts of statewide drought. Merced County isn’t alone. The nearby Fresno Irrigation District (FID) announced Tuesday that the ongoing parched weather, including a record-dry January and February, led the Board of Directors to postpone its planned start of water deliveries.

 

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Californians Used More Water as State Braces for Another Dry Year

/in , , /by /CalMattersby Rachel Becker

Californians used 2.6% more water in January compared to before the drought emergency was declared, a sign that urban residents are ignoring the state’s pleas to take the drought seriously and cut back.

The increased water use in California’s cities and towns came during the second-driest January on record, as the Sierra Nevada snowpack continues to dwindle — and another dry summer looms.

The new data, which details urban water use statewide, shows that Gov. Gavin Newsom’s repeated pleas for a 15% voluntary cutback in water use are failing to reach people in cities and towns. Yet Newsom has stopped short of issuing a mandatory order.

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Decades of Flooding in Leucadia Raise Drainage, Legal Questions

/in , /by /The Coast News Groupby Stephen Wyer

Jeff, a Leucadia resident who lives on Basil Street, said it was in 2001 when his home first flooded. “It was two weeks after I moved in, and I had just painted the house and put in new carpeting, so it really wasn’t good timing,” Jeff recalled with a laugh, noting his home would flood again four years later. But for Jeff and his neighbors who live along North Coast Highway 101 in Leucadia, the issue of flooding in Leucadia has been no laughing matter.

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Californians Fail to Hit Water Conservation Targets by Wide Margin — is it Disaster Fatigue?

/in , /by /Mercury Newsby Paul Rogers

As California’s severe drought worsens, with reservoir levels falling and the Sierra Nevada snow pack shrinking, the state’s residents — particularly in Southern California — are failing by a large margin to hit voluntary water conservation targets set by Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Last July, Newsom declared a drought emergency and asked Californians to cut urban water use 15% compared to 2020 levels.

But in January, they did the opposite, increasing water use 2.6% compared to January 2020, according to new data released Tuesday by the State Water Resources Control Board.

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Northern California Gets Light Rain and Snow

/in , , /by /AP News

A weak storm system moved through Northern California on Tuesday and a stronger system was expected in the drought-stricken state during the weekend, the National Weather Service said.

Meteorologists reported that Sierra Nevada elevations above 6,000 feet (1,829 meters) received 1-3 inches (2.5-7.6 centimeters) of snow, and chains were required on Interstate 80 through the morning.

The UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab said rain unexpectedly turned to snow.

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