On Feb. 12, federal, state and local officials joined Channelside Water Resources to commemorate the breach of Pond 15, the return of tidal flow to the area for the first time in 50 years. This is a historic milestone for the Otay River Estuary Restoration Project as Pond 15 has not seen active tidal flow since the 1970s.
The San Diego County Water Authority has reached the halfway mark in a significant infrastructure project to extend the life of the historic First Aqueduct, a critical component of the region’s water supply system. The $66 million Southern First Aqueduct Facilities Improvement project aims to enhance the reliability of water delivery by renovating 99 structures along two large-diameter pipelines stretching from North County to South County.
Last week’s rain and floods in California may soon give way to concerns about drought in the West as spring kicks off the region’s dry season. This year’s storms won’t erase looming drought worries across the entire southwestern U.S., experts fear. Of particular concern are the giant reservoirs of the Colorado River basin, Lakes Mead and Powell, which remain far below capacity.
The water outlook in California is bright, with major reservoirs exhibiting strong levels and a near-average snowpack, according to the latest data.
The state’s three largest reservoirs – Trinity, Shasta and Oroville – are currently holding more than 75% of their capacity, a significant boost compared to typical levels for this time of year.
Projects to turn wastewater into drinkable water are progressing in San Diego and East County, but their costs have once again spiked.
Last month’s wildfires in California destroyed thousands of homes, killed at least 29 people and will likely cost hundreds of billions of dollars. President Trump has claimed that state officials made the disaster worse by how they managed the state’s complex water system. William Brangham looks at those allegations and the realities of water management in the nation’s most populous state.
Reservoirs across California recently received good news only weeks after a late January snowpack update from the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) sparked concern. Although a series of atmospheric rivers brought heavy snow to high-elevation areas in parts of northern and central California in November and December, Southern California had an unusually dry start to the winter season. The lack of precipitation fueled wildfires in the region in January and furthered the state’s challenges with drought.
The Valley Center Municipal Water District (District) has been advised by its wholesale supplier, the San Diego County Water Authority, of the following aqueduct shutdown. The shutdown of the San Diego Aqueduct that delivers water to the District will be out of service for rehabilitation repairs and will begin at 1:00 a.m. on Saturday, February 22, 2025, through 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 4, 2025.
The San Diego County Water Authority is seeking input on ways to decrease the impact of its upcoming pipeline project on Rancho Bernardo, Poway, 4S Ranch and Del Sur. The water Authority’s Ramona Pipeline Improvements project is not expected to start before mid-2026, but Rebecca Cole, a community relations consultant with Adurra, told the Rancho Bernardo Community Council at its Feb. 6 meeting that resident comments to make the project less disruptive are needed now.
Santa Rosa. Paradise. Boulder County. Lahaina. Los Angeles. All are places that have shown that American cities and their water systems weren’t built to withstand wildfire, experts say. Hydrants trickled. Pumps and treatment plants lost power. Chemical contaminants were sucked into pipes, requiring extensive and costly work. In Paradise alone, where the 2018 Camp Fire killed at least 85 people and destroyed more than 18,000 structures, rebuilding the drinking water system is expected to cost $125 million and take three-and-a half more years.
