Delta Smelt: The Tiny Fish Caught in California’s War With Trump
On a warm November morning, John Durand squints over the stern of a small research boat, and gestures toward gray-blue water, and the chaotic tangles of tube-like tule reeds.
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Water Authority Offers to Settle Long-Running Rate Dispute with MWD
The San Diego County Water Authority’s board offered Thursday to settle a long-running dispute over rates with the giant Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.
The offer, made following a special board meeting, asks MWD to make $140 million in payments to San Diego County water customers to cover claims from 2011 through 2020 and, in the future, follow new, transparent procedures in setting water rates.
“The Water Authority’s proposal would benefit residents across San Diego County, enhance understanding of how MWD’s rates are set, and provide more opportunities for our agencies to collaborate in ways that would benefit water management across the Southwest,” said Water Authority Board Chair Jim Madaffer.
He said the offer “reflects our board’s strong desire to work with MWD without being under a cloud of litigation, while protecting the interests of San Diego County residents.”
Salton Sea Authority Board Endorses Emergency Declaration Made by Imperial County
After initially balking, the Salton Sea Authority board of directors on Thursday unanimously passed a resolution supporting Imperial County’s declaration of an emergency at the fast-shrinking sea.
Water Permit Hearing for Keystone XL Extended Into New Year
A South Dakota board deciding whether to grant water permits for the Keystone XL pipeline will extend its hearing into the new year after opponents repeatedly voiced concerns about the pipeline.
Water District Sued Over Desalination Plant Proposed For South Bay
An environmental organization has filed a lawsuit against the West Basin Municipal Water District over its November approval of a large seawater desalination plant proposed along the coast just north of Manhattan Beach’s border with El Segundo, alleging that the water district ignored significant environmental issues in its assessment of the project.
Sen. Feinstein Urges Newsom-Trump Teamwork on California Water
Sen. Dianne Feinstein waded into California’s water wars as a peacemaker Thursday morning.
In a letter, the six-term Democrat urged Gov. Gavin Newsom and Interior Secretary David Bernhardt to work together to develop consistent standards for water projects in California.
State EPA Secretary Lauds Clean-up Funds in USMCA, Federal Funding Bills
California Environmental Protection Secretary Jared Blumenfeld lauded House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and San Diego County’s congressional delegation Thursday for their successful efforts to include millions in funding in a new multi-national trade deal to mitigate toxic sewage flows in the Tijuana River Valley.
Strong Storms Boost California Snowpack to Highest December Level Since 2015
In a boost for California’s water supply, a series of recent storms that blanketed the Sierra Nevada in snow has built the state’s snowpack to its highest December level since 2015.
The snowpack — a key source of the state’s water supply — measured 113% of average this week, roughly 40% higher than the snowpack during the same time in 2018, according to the Department of Water Resources.
County Board Approves $350K to Support Salton Sea Rehab
Riverside County supervisors today approved the allocation of $350,000 from an environmental improvement fund to support efforts to restore the dying Salton Sea.
In a 5-0 vote without comment, the supervisors authorized the disbursal from the Coachella Valley Air Quality Enhancement Fund to help pay for the planned north end restoration of the 360-square mile lake, which will include the establishment of a lagoon to overlay exposed playa and mitigate the resulting atmospheric impacts.
OPINION: The Future of Water
With the recent heavy rains, our water supply may not be at the top of everyone’s worry list. Even so, last week the San Diego County Water Authority gave an update on the future of water in our region.
