When information about a recent toxic algal bloom in the Salton Sea came to the attention of the Imperial County Public Health Department, it did so second-hand, through Supervisor Ryan Kelley. Kelley, whose District 4 includes the Salton Sea, had to hear about the water conditions at the sea second-hand as well, from residents in the West Shores area who got their information from the state Regional Water Quality Control Board.
San Diego’s goal to provide one-third of its own water by 2035 took a major step recently when the City Council approved a low interest loan that will finance nearly half of the first phase of the Pure Water program. The $614 million loan comes from the EPA’s Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) and will cover 49 percent of the $1.25 billion project. The WIFIA program was created to accelerate investment in the nation’s water infrastructure by providing long-term, low-cost supplemental loans for regionally and nationally significant projects.
Los Angeles is in for another hot winter, with little chance for relief from drought conditions that now exist throughout California, according to a new forecast from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. That’s in spite of a probable El Niño event, which could bring above-average rainfall to the southwestern United States. The NOAA estimates that there’s a 70 to 75 percent chance that an El Niño develops in late fall or early winter, but it’s likely to be a weak El Niño, meaning that it’s less likely to bring higher than average rainfall to Southern California.
Historically the Orange County Water District (OCWD) has had to rely on Mother Nature for water. Although, due to climate change, that is no longer a realistic water strategy for OCWD. The agency has instead made significant investments in cutting-edge technology, such as water reuse, to help the region weather droughts. However, not taking advantage when large rain events take place is not something OCWD wants to miss out on and has found a way to capture more stormwater without having to spend tens of millions of dollars in new infrastructure.
The Solana Center for Environmental Innovation and the County of San Diego are offering discounted rain barrels to encourage harvesting of rainwater. By using a rain barrel, county residents can reduce pollution from runoff, conserve water and save money on their water bills. The cost is $90 per 50-gallon rain barrel, but residents of incorporated cities can qualify for a $35 rebate per rain barrel on up to two rain barrels per household, bringing the cost to $55 each. Residents of unincorporated areas of the county can get an additional $30 discount, (limited to two discounts per household) for the first 200 rain barrels sold.
City Councilman Scott Sherman wants significant changes at the San Diego Water Department. Sherman’s call for action came Oct. 16, during a city council discussion of an independent audit of the problem-plagued department. That audit, along with reporting by the NBC 7 Responds team, uncovered significant delays in the department’s effort to replace broken water meter boxes and lids. Auditors also discovered that some department employees were working less than four hours of their eight-hour workday.
The Metropolitan Water District (MWD) Board of Directors has voted to develop a Climate Action Plan with a goal of providing a complete framework of how to reduce the district’s carbon footprint. The plan will include reducing the greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) produced in the delivery of water to Southern California as well as a comprehensive plan to combat climate change. The MWD board also voted to award an $815,000 contract to Rincon Consultants, Inc. to assist in creating the plan, which will be developed over the next 18 months. Rincon Consultants maintains more than a dozen offices in mostly Southern and Central California.
Every garden has areas where plants flourish, and other areas where plants struggle. Structures, walls, fences and other plants can affect the amount of sun and shade in a garden. Every garden is completely different, even if it is located in the same general climate zone. There may be hills and hollows in your front yard that collect cold air. Or, if your property is sloped, you may not get frost when your neighbors do. The first step to a new or renovated landscape is walking around your property during the day and observing it closely.
While the peak wind speeds are in the past with the season’s first Santa Ana wind event, gusty winds and a heightened fire threat will persist into Wednesday across Southern California. Santa Ana winds are dry, gusty winds that blow towards the shore from inland desert regions, typically across Southern California during the autumn months. While travel disruptions, flight delays and the risk of property damage and power outages will diminish on Wednesday, the dry air and a breeze will continue to cause some problems.
Imperial County officials are still warning residents to not go near the Salton Sea after dangerous bacteria was found there. The Imperial County Public Health Department announced last week that cyanobacteria were detected in a water test that was conducted earlier this month. Public health officials said residents are not in danger as long as they don’t drink the water. “So there’s not any evidence that anyone has been harmed. The levels that had been detected, although they alert us to pay attention, they are not levels that are expected to be harmful,” said Dr. Stephen Munday, Imperial County Public Health Officer.
