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California Farms and Bay Area Cities Ordered to Stop Diverting Water From Rivers

/in , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Ian James and Sean Greene

Responding to California’s extreme drought, state water regulators have ordered many farmers, agricultural water districts and cities to stop diverting water from rivers and streams along the San Joaquin River.

Starting Wednesday, the State Water Resources Control Board is making “significant, very deep cuts” for water users, primarily in the San Joaquin River watershed, said Erik Ekdahl, deputy director of the state water board’s water rights division.

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How One Renter Swapped His Lawn for a Drought-Tolerant Family Retreat

/in , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Lisa Boone

Landscape designer Paul Robbins had more than water conservation in mind when he removed the muddy turf and bamboo behind his Pasadena rental and created a welcoming, low-water landscape.

“Our garden is very family-friendly,” says Robbins, gesturing toward the Victorian box tree where his 5-year-old daughter Zara likes to swing.

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CWA to Consider Rate Increases June 23

/in , /by /Village Newsby Joe Naiman Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

The San Diego County Water Authority has set a June 23 hearing for proposed SDCWA rates and charges for calendar year 2023.

A May 26 unanimous vote of the CWA board set the June 23 hearing date along with the proposed rates and charges. If those rates and charges are approved, the June 23 action will also allocate the pro-rata share of fixed charges to each CWA member agency.

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EPA Fines Imperial Irrigation District for Clean Water Act Violations

/in , /by /Storm Water Solutionsby Cristina Tuser

The U.S. EPA announced a settlement with California’s Imperial Irrigation District (IID) for violations of the Clean Water Act.

The violations include the pollution of local wetlands, reported EPA.

A Nov. 5, 2020, EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers inspection of IID’s construction of drain banks in the area discovered that activities resulted in the discharge of sediment to approximately 1 acre of wetlands.

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Popular Joshua Tree Park Trail Closed So Bighorn Sheep Can Get Water Amid Drought

/in , /by /FOX 5 San Diegoby Nouran Salahieh

A popular Joshua Tree park trail is now closed so that bighorn sheep can have easier access to water amid the state’s continuing drought conditions, park officials said.

The 49 Palms Trail was closed on June 1 and was expected to stay off limits until summer monsoon rains provide enough rainfall to make water more available to the animals, according to Joshua Tree National Park officials.

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Kyle Swanson Appointed New CEO/General Manager of Padre Dam Municipal Water District

/in , , /by /Water News Network

Kyle Swanson has been unanimously appointed by the Padre Dam Municipal Water District’s Board of Directors as the District’s new CEO/General Manager. He steps into his new role following the retirement of prior CEO/General Manager Allen Carlisle.

“I am excited about this opportunity to serve both the organization and the community as the new CEO/General Manager for Padre Dam Municipal Water District,” said Swanson.

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Fallbrook Public Utility District Celebrates 100 Years of Service

/in , , /by /Water News Network

The Fallbrook Public Utility District on June 5, celebrated its 100th year of providing water and sewer service in Fallbrook. From its first years serving 800 customers, the utility district, or FPUD, now supplies water to more than 35,000 residents in North San Diego County.

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Think You Can Cheat Water Restrictions? This Tiny Disk Will Tame the Thirstiest Water Hogs

/in , , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Jaimie Ding

It’s only the size of a silver dollar, but this tiny metal disk can tame even the biggest of Southern California water hogs.

In an indication of just how dire drought conditions have become, the Las Virgenes Municipal Water District has unveiled a custom-built device that will drastically reduce water flow to customers who refuse to abide by newly enacted water restrictions.

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Conditions Are Ripe for High Wildfire Season Come September

/in , , /by /Patchby MacKenzie Elmer Quoted: San Diego County Water Authority

The U.S. national drought early-warning information system, called NIDIS, gave a rundown Thursday on when much of the Southwest will experience conditions that heighten the potential for wildfire.

Drought is one of the main drivers because less water means drier soils, drier plants and drier air, all conditions that fuel wildfire.

According to NIDIS projections, above-average wildfire potential creeps into the San Diego region (mostly along mountain ridges or high altitudes where winds are strong and fuel is plentiful) come September.

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How Stable Is San Diego’s Supply of Colorado River Water?

/in , , /by /The San Diego Union-Tribuneby Joshua Emerson Smith Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

It’s no secret that San Diego County’s top water managers are deeply frustrated with California’s new conservation rules, even as drought continues to ravage the American Southwest.

The San Diego County Water Authority, the region’s wholesaler, has repeatedly lobbied the state for an exemption to prohibitions on watering commercial and other landscapes that go into effect this month.

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