You are now in Home Headline Media Coverage San Diego County category.

Mysterious Machine Dropped to the Bottom of Lake Hodges

/in , , /by /NBC7 (San Diego)by Joe Little

It’s the only one of its kind in Southern California and no one will see it again for years.

“It’s a giant upside-down cone with some pipes,” said Jeff Pasek. “It’s a strange looking device.”

It’s a strange looking device called a Speece Cone that’s expected to improve the water quality at Hodges Reservoir near Escondido.

“It’s not going to be seen again for a number of years because it’s 70 feet deep in the reservoir,” said Pasek, a Project Officer with the City of San Diego’s Public Utilities Department.

The $3.4 million project will constantly inject oxygen into the reservoir which will reduce the nutrients that algae feed on, Pasek said.

Full Story

Blog: Imperial Valley Conservation Efforts Benefit San Diego, Southwest

/in , , /by /Water Education Foundation (Sacramento, Calif.) Quoted: San Diego County Water Authority

The San Diego County Water Authority’s Board of Directors visited the Imperial Valley January 30 for a day-long tour that highlighted areas critical to the agency’s Regional Conveyance System Study.

Full Story

Sweetwater Authority Eyes Recycled Water That Otay Water District Doesn’t Use

/in , , /by /San Diego Union-Tribuneby David Hernandez

Sweetwater Authority’s governing board has its eyes on recycled water — specifically, an excess of recycled water that a neighboring water agency, the Otay Water District, buys from the city of San Diego.

The governing boards of the two water agencies, which combined serve southern and eastern San Diego County, recently created a joint committee to explore a potential arrangement that would allow
Sweetwater to purchase recycled water from Otay.

The board presidents of both water agencies said the idea could benefit customers on both ends.

Full Story

Sediment Loading Key to Predicting Post-Wildfire Debris Flows

/in , /by /Phys.orgby Pennsylvania State University

The mudslides that follow wildfires in Southern California can be deadly and difficult to predict. New research can help officials identify areas prone to these mudslides and respond before disaster occurs, according to scientists.

Mudslides, or debris flows, can occur when rainfall washes away the buildup of sediment in mountain channels. Roughly equal parts water and sediment, debris flows are strong enough to carry large boulders downhill and threaten communities on or near the mountains.

Full Story

District Helps Make Desert Bloom

/in , , /by /Capital Pressby Julia Hollister

The Coachella Valley Water District faces hefty challenges each day: providing water for more than 1,200 ag customers on 65,000 acres in a desert environment.

The water district serves San Diego, Imperial and Riverside counties and nine cities.

“I would say managing our water on a long-term basis, optimizing our Colorado River water and groundwater and using them as efficiently as possible are major priorities for us,” said Katie Evans, director of communications for the district.

The Coachella Valley’s farmland is one of the largest contributors to the local economy, known for its dates, citrus fruit, grapes and bell peppers. More than two-thirds of local farmland is irrigated in part with Colorado River water delivered via the Coachella Canal.

Full Story

Workshop Explains Grants Available to Ag Workers

/in , , /by /Ramona Sentinelby Julie Gallant

Farmers, ranchers and vineyard owners are invited to a free workshop that offers guidance on applying for up to $100,000 in state grant funding designed to promote healthy soils practices.

The Free Healthy Soils Program Financial Assistance Workshop is scheduled from 1 to 3 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 9, at Ramona Library, 1275 Main St.

Sydney Frazier-Flores, environmental educator for the Solana Center for Environmental Innovation in Encinitas will lead the workshop, with assistance from Solana Center’s Zero Waste Project Lead Hanna Schuler, who will provide Spanish translations.

Full Story

City Opens State-of-the-Art Ranger Station in Mission Trails Regional Park

/in , , /by /Times of San Diegoby Chris Jennewein

City Opens State-of-the-Art Ranger Station in Mission Trails Regional Park.

The state-of-the-art facility, at the East Fortuna Staging Area of the park, will give rangers improved resources and allow them to better protect the park and engage with visitors, according to Sherman’s office.

Sherman, chairman of the Mission Trails Regional Park Taskforce, said the park and making it accessible was important to him.

Full Story

Student Artwork Featured in 2020 Fallbrook PUD Calendar

/in , , /by /Water News Network

Talented fourth-graders from Fallbrook area elementary schools picked up their pens, crayons, and watercolors to create the best and brightest water-conservation posters for the 2020 Fallbrook Public Utility District “Be Water Smart” calendar. Out of the 250 posters submitted, the work of 14 artists was selected.

Twelve of the winning images appear inside the calendar, one for each of the 12 months of the year. One image was chosen for the cover, and another was added for January 2021. The free calendars can be picked up at the Fallbrook Public Utility District office.

Full Story

Poway City Council Votes to Give Money Back to Customers After Boil Water Advisory

/in , /by /NBC 7 San Diego by Audra Stafford

Thousands of people in Poway will receive a small break on their water bill after Poway City Council voted 4 – 1 to distribute varying amounts of bill credits.

At its meeting Tuesday night, the council approved spending up to $420,000 to issue one-time credits to those impacted by the week-long Boil Water Advisory in November 2019.

Residents noticed discolored water coming from their faucets in late November, and the city issued a Boil Water Advisory the next day.

Full Story

Water Bill Credits Approved by Poway Council

/in , , /by /Rancho Bernardo News Journalby Steve Dreyer

Poway City Council members voted 4-1 Tuesday night to give most city water customers small credits on an upcoming bill due to last year’s six-day boil water advisory.

The average customer will see a one-time credit of about $28.72 in March or April, depending on which bimonthly billing cycle the customer is on. This includes a $5.29 credit on the fixed rate and $23.43 for commodity equal to 1/8th of the bimonthly bill. Seventy-seven percent of all water customers will have a commodity credit of between $10 and $50, depending on how much water they typically use.

Full Story