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California had a wet winter. But a satellite photo shows the state is drying out fast

/in , /by /San Diego Union-Tribuneby Gary Robbins

NASA released a satellite image over the weekend that showed what a large swath of California look like during the winter, when the Sierra Nevada was heavily covered with snow. A second image shows what the same region looks like now. It’s a classic good news, bad news story. Reservoir conditions are good throughout virtually all of California. In April, the snow level in the Sierra was 162 percent of average. The reservoirs will be well stocked for a long period of time.

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California’s Roads, Dams And Other Infrastructure Get ‘C-‘ From America’s Civil Engineers

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

California’s infrastructure, from highways to levees to water systems, received an overall grade of “C-” from the American Society of Civil Engineers in its annual evaluation. The Golden State’s airports, wastewater systems and ports received the highest grade at “C+,” while energy came in at a near-failing “D-” in the report released last week. “Recent investments have been made across all 17 categories that comprise the state’s infrastructure network,” the ASCE noted. “However California is playing catch-up after years of under-investment and must identify investment needs for resilient infrastructure in preparation for future natural and man-made disasters.”

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Water Authority Sponsors Photo Contest To Highlight San Diego’s Agricultural Bounty

/in , /by /Times of San Diegoby Chris Jennewein Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

If you’re an amateur photographer with an eye for nature’s agricultural bounty, the San Diego County Water Authority has a contest for you. The water authority is marking Water Awareness Month with a contest on Instagram and Twitter that runs through the end of May. Take a photo of locally grown fruits, vegetables, flowers or nursery plants and tag it with #B2UbyH2O when you post on social media. Winners will be drawn randomly each week. The contest is intended to highlight the significance of agriculture to the regional economy.

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Plunging Into San Diego River Days — Even At Creek Behind El Cajon Mall

/in , /by /Times of San Diegoby Ken Stone

San Diego River Days isn’t all about the namesake waterway. It’s also about a creek behind an El Cajon mall. On Saturday, the annual civic celebration kicked off with events including ones at Parkway Plaza — which gave a tributary some TLC. “We’re targeting a project in Forester Creek because in particular it’s very polluted and we see a lot of trash,” said Marina Varano, outreach and engagement coordinator for the San Diego River Park Foundation. When it rains, the waste flows enters the San Diego River, she said, “so we want to engage the community in environmental stewardship.”

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MWD To Replace Filter

/in , /by /Valley News (Fallbrook, Calif.)by Joe Naiman Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California will be replacing the filter valve gear boxes for Module 7 of the Robert A. Skinner Water Treatment Plant. The MWD board authorized the replacement of the filter valve gear boxes April 9. The board decision also found the project to be categorically exempt from California Environmental Quality Act review although the work will include environmental documentation.

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Poseidon’s Restoration Obligations On Deck At Coastal Commission Meeting

/in , /by /The Log (Fountain Valley)by Parimal M. Rohit

Poseidon Water might be fighting for its desalination future in Huntington Beach, but the corporation’s representatives will be in front of the California Coastal Commission for an entirely different matter on May 9: the restoration and conversion of a 90.9-acre salt pond to tidal wetlands and 34.6-acrer Otay River floodplain site in San Diego.

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Permit Issued To Build Permanent Seawater Intake At Carlsbad Desalination Plant

/in , /by /Times of San Diego

The San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board issued a permit Wednesday to develop and install permanent seawater intake and discharge facilities at the Claude “Bud” Lewis Desalination Plantin Carlsbad. The plant currently produces roughly 50 million gallons of potable water each day for use across San Diego County, but draws most of its water from the Agua Hedionda Lagoon, which is then circulated to the plant by the Encina Power Station.

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New Permit Fosters Sustainable Water Production At Carlsbad Desalination Plant

/in , /by /Water News Network

San Diego regional water quality regulators today issued a permit for the installation of new, technologically advanced and environmentally sensitive seawater intake and discharge facilities at the Claude “Bud” Lewis Carlsbad Desalination Plant. The plant  and the new permit  support Gov. Gavin Newsom’s April 29 executive order for California “to think differently and act boldly by developing a comprehensive strategy to build a climate-resilient water system.”

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Group Seeks To Stop City From Using Chemical Herbicides

/in , /by /San Diego Community Newsby Dave Schwab

It all began this February when Anne Jackson Hefti and friend Amy Ryan were walking their dogs in Sunset Cliffs Natural Park, and claim they were exposed to wind-drift toxic herbicide sprayed by workers there. “They were spraying in front of us and behind us and there were ‘No’ signs posted, and the area was not taped off to keep us off the trail,” said Jackson Hefti, adding Ryan “asked the contractors to stop spraying until we left the area.”

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Irrigation District Approves Salton Sea Restoration Project

/in , /by /Courthouse News Service by Mathew Renda

A major Southern California water purveyor paved the way Tuesday for a massive restoration project at the Salton Sea in an attempt to stave off ecological devastation and an unfolding public health disaster. The Imperial Irrigation District, which serves the Imperial Valley in southeastern Southern California, approved an easement agreement with the state on Tuesday that allows the state to begin a critical restoration project at the Salton Sea.

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