The death of a couple thousand birds of an infectious disease at the Salton Sea earlier this month has helped underscore the impact of diminished quality and quantity of the habitats there. A large number of ruddy ducks, as well as gulls and other birds, migrating to the sea for the winter were killed between Jan. 8 and Jan. 17 by avian cholera, an infectious bacterial disease that spreads through direct contact.
The San Diego County Water Authority announced Wednesday that it has saved nearly $18 million in debt payments by refinancing the bonds used to construct part of the Claude “Bud” Lewis Carlsbad Desalination Plant. The savings topped prior projections of $13.6 million through June 2046, according to the Water Authority. A total of 45 investors, including J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Goldman Sachs, made nearly $2 billion in orders for the bonds. Investors were attracted to the water authority’s strong credit and history of providing a reliable water supply, according to the agency.
Even with last week’s rains increasing Lake Cachuma elevations by more than five feet, the available supply for South Coast water agencies has remained the same. Under the complex legal arithmetic by which Cachuma is divvied up, all the additional water accrues to agencies downstream; that will remain the case until there’s enough runoff in the Santa Ynez River to generate a live stream.
The first of three back-to-back winter storms will arrive in Southern California Thursday morning, bringing the potential for heavy rain along with a chance of debris flows and flooding in areas recently ravaged by wildfires, the National Weather Service said. The first storm, arriving by noon Thursday, will be fairly light — dropping a quarter of an inch to an inch of rain in Los Angeles County. Possible thunderstorms, however, could bring heavier rain to some regions, said Lisa Phillips, a meteorologist intern with the National Weather Service in Oxnard.
Santa Barbara is still in a drought even with the strong start to the year with rain and more coming this weekend. The updated water supply report to the Santa Barbara City Council detailed the current storage above and below ground and it was a mosaic of resources. Cachuma lake has gone up with runoff from the storm this month but not significantly. Gibraltar dam spilled two weeks ago and will continue to release water if we get more rain the Santa Ynez watershed.
The first of two Pacific storms will make shore late Wednesday night and drop between 0.25 inches and 0.50 inches of rain in greater San Diego during the day and evening, according to the National Weather Service. Daytime high temperatures will low be in the 60s at and near the coast, and the 50s and 40s inland. The second system is larger and colder. Forecasters say that storm will move into the region on Friday night and drop moderate to heavy rain on Saturday, and lighter, more sporadic precipitation on Sunday and possibly Monday.
The city of San Diego is poised to join the legal battle to stop the flow of pollution in waterways at the U.S.-Mexico border. San Diego officials appear poised to ratchet up pressure on the federal government. The City Council on Tuesday will discuss suing federal officials for failing to stop cross-border sewage flows. Mayor Kevin Faulconer said it’s time to act. “This problem has been around for far too long and we’ve worked very hard on the diplomatic approach on both sides of the border, and there’s been a lot of progress, but not enough progress,” he said.
Locals interested in making a difference in their communities may wish to attend an upcoming event designed to share ways to inspire and educate youth about the San Dieguito Watershed. The San Dieguito River Valley Conservancy will hold the free volunteer training day, Saturday, March 2 from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at the Del Mar Branch Library, 1309 Camino Del Mar, 92014. Such topics as water-quality testing, animal tracking and student/trail safety are on the agenda. The non-profit SDRVC preserves and protects resources of the San Dieguito River Valley through collaborative efforts to acquire lands, complete trails, restore habitats, establish educational programs, create interpretive centers, encourage recreation and mobilize public support.
Over the past two decades, the San Diego County Water Authority has paid $25 million to a single law firm. The firm, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, is known for its water law practice across the West. Locally, though, few people know of its influence.
Rincon del Diablo Municipal Water District (Rincon Water) invites you to a special one-day rain barrel distribution event on Saturday, February 16, from 9 a.m. to noon at 1920 North Iris Lane, Escondido. This event is co-hosted by Rincon Water, the Solana Center, the County of San Diego, the Garden, and the San Diego County Water Authority.
