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Hopeful Storms in Forecast for Drought Plagued US West

/in , , /by /AP Newsby Adam Beam

Mired in an historic drought, California is set to get its first significant soaking of the season this week, with storms forecasted to dump up to 7 inches (18 centimeters) of rain in parched parts of the state.

But the rain, which comes after wildfires have collectively burned more than 3,898 square miles (10,096 square kilometers) this year, won’t be enough to make up for all the water California lost over the summer following some of the driest months on record.

Tuesday, state water officials warned one of the state’s large reservoirs in Mendocino County could run dry by next summer. Meanwhile, new data showed Californians lowered their water usage by just 3.5% in July and August, far from the 15% reduction Gov. Gavin Newsom had requested earlier this year.

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Newsom Declares Statewide Drought Emergency, Urges California to Conserve Water

/in , , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Ian James

Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a statewide drought emergency on Tuesday, appealing to all Californians to do more to conserve water in the face of one of the state’s most severe droughts on record.

“As the western U.S. faces a potential third year of drought, it’s critical that Californians across the state redouble our efforts to save water in every way possible,” Newsom said.

While most of California’s 58 counties have been in a state of drought emergency since July, Newsom’s proclamation added the last eight remaining counties, and further bolstered his call for everyone to voluntary reduce water use by 15%. The proclamation notes that the State Water Resources Control Board may adopt emergency regulations to prohibit wasting water, such as hosing down sidewalks or driveways, allowing drinking water to flood gutters or streets, or washing a car without a shut-off nozzle.

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Opinion: Socal’s Water Planning Offers Lesson for State

/in , , /by /Los Angeles Daily News

Another historic drought has gripped the West and California, with the entire state facing abnormally dry conditions and 87% of it facing an extreme drought, according to the latest federal data. Yet Southern Californians are in far better shape to handle the situation than Northern Californians thanks to policies that southern water agencies have adopted.

Two-thirds of the state’s rain falls in Northern California, which has one-third of the state’s population — and vice versa. Yet many northern cities are running out of water, with several San Francisco Bay Area communities already adopting water rationing and water-use restrictions. This isn’t happenstance, but the result of planning — or lack thereof.

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While Southern California Battles Drought, San Diego Is Faring Better

/in , , /by /East County Magazineby Brian Schrader Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

California is no stranger to droughts, and while much of California is straining to conserve water, San Diego is in no such predicament.

A recent analysis from the New York Times found that San Diego, over the course of nearly 30 years, has become adept at conserving water and at preparing for dry years.

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Farmers Propose Solutions to Drought Conditions in the Western United States

/in , , /by /AbC12by Tyler Ridgle

The Family Farm Alliance aims to protect water for Western agriculture and describes itself as a powerful advocate before the government for family farmers, ranchers, irrigation districts, and allied industries in 17 Western states. The drought-stricken Klamath Basin is one area that they’ve identified as needing legislative change.

The alliance says it has this goal to ensure the availability of reliable and affordable irrigation water needed to produce the world’s food, fiber, and fuel.

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Pandemic Reigns as Top Concern for California Issuers

/in , , /by /The Bond Buyerby Keeley Webster Quoted: San Diego County Water Authority

More than 18 months into the pandemic, COVID-19 still reigns as the most pressing concern for California issuers.

During a panel discussion Tuesday at The Bond Buyer’s California Public Finance virtual conference, every discussion involved the pandemic in some way.

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WaterSmart: Weathering Dry Times in San Diego County

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

Recent news stories highlighted the investments by the San Diego County Water Authority and its 24 member agencies to create a plentiful water supply for the region, helping to weather dry times like the current drought.

The New York Times, Spectrum News 1, The Wall Street Journal and Wired Magazine are among several news organizations that have reported on the region’s water supply projects, current and future, that ensure the 3.3 million residents of the county won’t be left high and dry during times of drought.

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A $564 Million Water Project Was Completed in Sacramento. What This Means for You

/in , , /by /The Sacramento Beeby Hanh Truong

The Sacramento Regional County Sanitation District, also known as Regional San, completed a $564 million wastewater treatment project this summer that uses bacteria to remove more than 99% of ammonia from sewer water. The operation, which is called the Biological Nutrient Removal project, is a part of a larger undertaking called the EchoWater project. The EchoWater project was established by Regional San to comply with regulations and to ensure clean water quality. The effort also allows for the potential reuse of water for landscape and agricultural irrigation.

 

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Atmospheric River Storms to Soak Bay Area, Northern California — Biggest in 9 Months

/in , , /by /The Mercury Newsby Paul Rogers

Three successive storms will surge in from the Pacific Ocean this week, forecasters said Tuesday, bringing what may be the most rain in nine months to drought-stricken Northern California and offering a promising start to winter after two years marked by record wildfires and dry conditions.

Two of those storms look like atmospheric rivers — narrow, moisture-rich storms that play a critical role in the state’s water supply. The first, which was set to arrive late Tuesday night and continue into Wednesday morning, is likely to be a moderate storm. But another big one shaping up for Sunday night was upgraded to a category 5 on Tuesday, the highest in a five-level scale.

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Opinion: ‘Forever Chemicals’ Are Everywhere. It’s Time to Rein Them in

/in , /by /Los Angeles Times

Polyfluoroalkyl and perfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, are a class of man-made chemicals that break down slowly in the environment, can accumulate in the human body and have been linked to all manner of negative health effects from cancer to high cholesterol.

But these “forever chemicals” are nearly impossible to avoid. They are, quite literally, all around us: in consumer products, from cosmetics and cookware to food packaging and firefighting foam; in our food supply; in the soil, air and water; and even running through our veins.

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