You are now in Media Coverage San Diego County category.

Data, Fines and Threats to Compel Water Conservation

/in , /by /GCNby Shourjya Mookerjee

To address drought conditions, one California region is considering penalizing residents who exceed their “water budget,” a figure based on the property size and the number of residents in a household.

The Las Virgenes Municipal Water District (LVMWD) will increase fines on residents who use too much water. It is also considering restricting the flow of water to households that have repeatedly disregarded conservation efforts. The flow restrictors will be reserved for homes that have been fined for overuse for three months or longer.

Full Story

Q&A: David Arend Talks Colorado River Basin Challenges

/in , /by /KUNCby Alex Hager

As the Colorado River shrinks at the hands of a two-decades-long drought, there’s a lot on the line. The water supply for 40 million people, agriculture, wildlife and hydropower generation are all hanging in the balance as the region grapples with a dwindling river.

The federal agency most involved with the Colorado River and water in the West is the Bureau of Reclamation. The agency’s measurements and actions can lead headlines throughout the region — including the shortage declaration that raised national alarm last August.

Full Story

February Could Be the Make-Or-Break Month for California’s Drought

/in , , /by /ABC 10by Monica Woods

California is nearing that make-or-break point to pick up some rain and snow totals. January has turned out to be a total bust for big storms, continuing that winter whiplash of wet to dry weather.

Almost all the gains we’ve made reducing the severity of our two-year drought came from storms in October and December. In October, those gains were from one big atmospheric river sitting over the state for days. December saw multiple storms ending in a record setting snowiest month for the Sierra.

Full Story

Federal, Local Officials Kick Off Millions in Repairs to Friant-Kern Canal

/in , , /by /The Sunby Daniel Gligich

Local and Federal water officials and lawmakers celebrated the groundbreaking of a massive project on the Friant-Kern Canal on Tuesday, marking the start of the canal’s restoration.

Coming in at $187 million, the first portion of the massive effort will restore capacity within the canal in a 10-mile portion that has been affected by subsidence: the sinking of the canal’s bottom from groundwater removal.

With 33 miles of the Friant-Kern Canal in total that have sunk due to subsidence, Tuesday’s groundbreaking kicks off the first phase of the Friant-Kern Canal Middle Reach Capacity Correction restoration project.

Full Story

Opinion: Here Is the First Step to a Sustainable Water Policy

/in , , /by /Cal Mattersby Carolee Krieger

Water that is promised in a contract but can’t be delivered is called “paper water” – shorthand for water that does not exist except in legal documents.

During its mid-20th century frenzy of dam and canal construction, California allocated much more water than it actually had. These paper water commitments far exceed the amount of water than is available in our reservoirs and rivers. According to a study from the University of California, Davis, “appropriative water rights filed for consumptive uses are approximately five times greater than estimated surface water withdrawals.”

Full Story

Poseidon Water Announces Application for Coastal Development Permit Completed

/in , , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Lilly Nguyen

Officials at Poseidon Water reported Monday the company has received notification from the California Coastal Commission that the application for a coastal development permit for its controversial $1.4-billion water desalination plant will be up for consideration in March.

If it receives approval, Poseidon Water will be able to then negotiate a contract to sell desalinated water to the Orange County Water District and begin construction of the facility.

It is expected to be located adjacent to the AES Huntington Beach Generating Station on Newland Avenue and is proposed to provide 50 million gallons of desalted drinking water a day.

Full Story

California’s Climate Whiplash Has Gotten Worse Over 50 Years

/in , , /by /Futurityby Mikayla Mace-Arizona

While dry events in California are not getting drier, extreme wet weather events have steadily increased in magnitude since the middle of the last century, new research shows.

These increased extreme wet events can result in more dangerous flooding and also fuel wildfires.

“Most research after 2015 has been very focused on this climate variability and how it’s going to get worse in the future,” says Diana Zamora-Reyes, a graduate student in the department of hydrology and atmospheric sciences at the University of Arizona and lead author of the paper in the International Journal of Climatology.

Full Story

How Western Water Markets Are Changing Under Pressure

/in , , /by /Capital Pressby Sierra McClain

Water has been traded in the Western U.S. for decades, but as the region faces intensifying regulations, shifts in crops and drought concerns, water markets are evolving to reflect the changes.

“The idea of water moving between uses and large distances has changed over the last 30 years. In the last five years especially, there have been big changes,” said Matt Payne, principal with WestWater Research, a Boise-based economic consulting firm specializing in water market research, pricing and trading.

Full Story

Walmart Invests in Indoor Vertical Farming Startup Plenty

/in , /by /AP Newsby Anne D'Innocenzio

Walmart said Tuesday it has taken a stake in agriculture startup Plenty, becoming the first large U.S. retailer to significantly invest in indoor vertical farming as a way to deliver fresher produce to its stores.

Vertical farmers tout their high-quality produce that brings higher yields while using less water and land. The method also doesn’t use pesticide, and the produce can be grown year round near the point of distribution, increasing the reliability of supply.

Full Story

2022 WaterSmart Landscape Contest Open For Entries

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

One dozen San Diego County water agencies are looking for the best in landscaping makeover projects for the 2022 regional WaterSmart landscape competition. This annual competition showcases residential water-saving landscaping projects to inform and inspire other homeowners to consider replacing their turf-based yard designs.

The contest deadline for all participating agencies is Friday, May 13.

Full Story