You are now in San Diego County category.

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California will be undertaking comprehensive assessments of the spillways and dam structures at Lake Mathews and Lake Skinner along with preliminary design of upgrades to the dam monitoring systems at both lakes. The MWD board vote, Dec. 12, also approved an agreement with AECOM, an international design firm, for technical support of those activities. The $2.86 million appropriation for the project covers $2,000,000 for the study and $860,000 to upgrade the monitoring systems and includes $1.53 million for AECOM’s consultant work.

Over the holidays, I had a chance to get out my crystal ball and look at water issues for the year ahead. Of course, it’s impossible to know exactly what will happen, but here are my predictions about the water-related topics to watch 2018: The return of the water tax proposal. Last summer, an 11th-hour effort emerged in the Legislature to impose – for the first time – a new statewide tax on residential and business water bills. The “water tax” was part of a bill that aims to improve access to safe drinking water for disadvantaged communities.

 

A surprisingly strong storm swept through San Diego County on Tuesday, causing scores of traffic accidents, leaving thousands without power, shuttering beaches and sinking at least one boat. While property damage and flooding were limited, the downpour flushed sewage-tainted pollution from Tijuana into South Bay beaches as far north as Coronado. The first major storm of season brought more than 2 inches of precipitation and winds up to 55 mph along parts of the coast and as much as 4 inches in the mountains with 70 mph gusts.

In the mountains above coastal Santa Barbara County, the vegetation is typically so deep and lush that it can soak up a half-inch of rainwater before it flows downhill. But that was before the Thomas fire swept through in December, burning those trees and brush to the ground. Now, the rain has no buffer, and that is cause for alarm.

Officials across the region are preparing for the first major storm of the winter, which could cause significant flooding and property damage and snarl morning and evening rush-hour commutes. The National Weather Service predicted that up to an inch of rain along the coast, and roughly twice that in the mountains, would soak the region starting late Monday night into this morning. Foothill communities above 5,000 feet could see light snow flurries.