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California’s $16 Billion Climate-Hardy Water Tunnel Moves Ahead

/in , /by /Bloomberg Law by Emily C. Dooley

California’s plans to build a new tunnel to move water from the northern Delta to the thirsty, populous south of the state advanced a step Tuesday, when a key partner agreed to help fund some of the effort. The board of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, the largest treated water supplier in the nation, voted to pay nearly $59 million in 2021 and 2022 to the state Department of Water Resources to help move the project forward.

 

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Drought Conditions Could Stretch to Spring, Set Stage for Another Rough Fire Season

/in , /by /KQED by Craig Miller

The latest outlook from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration suggests that California’s persistent drought-like conditions could last through the winter and into spring, possibly fueling another grueling fire season in 2021.

Currently, three-quarters of California is experiencing at least moderate drought conditions.

“Keep in mind, we’re coming off the driest May-through-October period, statewide at least, across California, Arizona and New Mexico,” said Mark Svoboda of the National Drought Mitigation Center in Nebraska.

Forecasting three to four months out is a dodgy proposition for scientists, but NOAA’s modeling shows the likelihood of relatively dry weather through February.

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Growers See Initial Allocation of 10% for 2021 Water Year

/in , /by /The Sun Gazette

While deciding the final allocation for growers who gather their water from the Friant-Kern Canal is months away, things early on are not looking good. The California Department of Water Resources announced on Dec. 1 an initial state water project allocation of 10% of requested supply for the 2021 water year. Initial allocations are based on conservative assumptions regarding hydrology and factors such as reservoir storage.

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Ramona Water District Board to Appoint New Member Before February

/in , /by /The San Diego Union-Tribuneby Karen Pearlman

The Ramona Municipal Water District Board of Directors hopes to appoint a candidate early next year to fill a vacant Division 3 board seat for the next two years. The board is on a fast track to find a replacement for incumbent Director Thomas N. Ace, one of two candidates who was running for a four-year seat.

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EPA Guidance May Exempt Some Water Polluters from Supreme Court Permit Mandate

/in , /by /The Hillby Rachel Frazin

The Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday released a draft guidance that interprets a Supreme Court decision in a way that may exempt some facilities from needing permits to pollute groundwater. In April, the court decided that a permit is required for both direct discharges of pollutants into federally-regulated rivers and oceans as well as their “functional equivalent” in groundwater that flows into regulated waters.

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House Passes Water Resources Development Act; Final Bill Expected to Become Law This Year

/in , /by /Lake County Newsby Elizabeth Larson

On Tuesday, Congressman John Garamendi, a senior member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure whose district includes 200 miles of the Sacramento River and is adjacent to several major ports, secured key provisions in the “Water Resources Development Act of 2020” for the California Delta and Central Valley. The legislation passed the House Tuesday and is expected to pass the Senate with strong bipartisan support and become law this year.

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Scientists with the Scripps Institution of Oceanography Deploy Wave Buoy Off Westcliff

/in , /by /Santa Cruz Sentinelby Hannah Hagemann

Scientists with the Scripps Institution of Oceanography will soon have a deeper insight into how Santa Cruz waves impact local flood events, thanks to a coastal buoy installed on Sunday. The wave buoy will track wave height, direction, speed, as well as water and air temperature.

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Toxic Tap Water in Latino Towns is a Legacy of Racist Policies, California Officials Say

/in , /by /The Fresno Beeby Monica Vaughan and Nathalie Vera

In the San Joaquin Valley, agricultural runoff from fertilizer and manure leaches into groundwater, contributing to some of the highest levels of nitrate pollution in community water systems in the country. Residents in Tipton were warned months ago not to drink or cook with tap water because of dangerous levels of nitrate. For two years, Estella Bravo, 78, has been advocating for her neighbors to get free bottled water.

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Miramar Reservoir Marks 60 Years of Service

/in , /by /Water News Network

For 60 years, Miramar Reservoir has been an integral part of the City of San Diego’s drinking water system and offers San Diegans a popular recreational area. Now, the reservoir is being called into service to play a vital part in San Diego’s future Pure Water system to sustain a reliable water supply.

The City of San Diego is commemorating the 60th anniversary of Miramar Reservoir, its role in the region’s history, and the part the reservoir will play in the future.

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Final WRDA Package Leaves Clean Water Out

/in , /by /WaterWorld Magazine

A House-Senate conference committee approved a final version of the Water Resources Development Act, or WRDA, for 2020, late last week. The final language did not include the clean water sector, drawing criticism from members of the industry.

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