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SD County Crops Rise in Value for 7th Time in Past Decade to $7.8 Billion

/in , , /by /Times of San Diego by Debbie L. Sklar

The value of San Diego County’s agricultural output increased by $24 million in 2022 over the previous year, the seventh year of growth in the last decade, according to the county’s annual crop report released Monday.

The 2022 growing season saw a 1.4% increase over 2021, rising to $1.78 billion. The county remains the number one producer of nursery and cut flower products and in the number of organic producers in California.

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Preparing for Upcoming Flood Season Across San Diego County

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

This winter is expected to be wetter than normal, so state officials suggest preparing ahead of time.

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Survey Work Begins on Salton Sea Restoration Project

/in , , /by /KESQby Marco Revuelta

Engineers are busy studying the soil near the Salton Sea.

This is where they’re planning on transforming more than  150 acres into a modern nature habitat.

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Escondido Approves Water Rate Increases Over 5 Years

/in , /by /KPBS by Alexander Nguyen Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

Escondido City Council on Wednesday voted 4-1 to increase the water rate over the next five years.

City leaders say it was needed to keep the utility department financially stable.

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City of Escondido Approves Water Rate Increases for Five Years

/in , , /by /Fox 5 by Kasia Gregorczyk Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

Escondido City Council approved new water rate increases set to begin Jan. 1 and will increase each year for the next five years.

Residents had been outspoken about the possibility of a nearly 20% increase next year alone.

“It is by far the highest hike proposed over the past 12 years,” Sandra Otteson said.

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Regional Emergency Managers Discuss Winter Outlook

/in , , /by /County News Center (San Diego County)by Yvette Urrea Moe Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

There was a time when meteorologists could predict whether winter would be mild, moderate or severe.  That information helped emergency managers plan ahead and get resources ready to fit the forecast and try to avoid a disaster.

Now, it’s difficult to predict the weather for more than 10 days at a time, said Stephen Rea, assistant director for the San Diego County Office of Emergency Services at a regional Winter Weather Workshop for local jurisdictions Tuesday in Kearny Mesa.

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Newsom Signs Bill Requiring Countywide Vote in Future Water District Detachment

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

Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed a bill requiring a countywide vote before a local water district can “detach,” though it’s too late to prevent local votes in Fallbrook and Rainbow.

The two rural districts have sought to leave the San Diego County Water Authority for a cheaper, if potentially less reliable water supply from Riverside County.

Assembly Bill 399, introduced by Assemblymember Tasha Boerner of Encinitas and sponsored by the city of San Diego, expands voting requirements should agencies seek to withdraw from any county water authority.

The new law is effective Jan. 1, but the votes in Fallbrook and Rainbow are scheduled for Nov. 7.

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Newsom Signs Law Making it Tougher for Water Districts to Secede — But it Won’t Affect Rainbow and Fallbrook Plans

/in , , /by /The San Diego Union-Tribuneby Jeff McDonald Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

The next time a member of a regional water agency wants to secede, a majority of voters across the entire wider district will have to approve the change under a bill signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Late last week the governor signed Assembly Bill 399, legislation authored by Encinitas Democrat Tasha Boerner and originally designed to thwart an effort by water officials in Fallbrook and Bonsall from divorcing from the San Diego County Water Authority.

Newsom signed the bill without issuing any public comment.

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Opinion: San Diego-Imperial Water Deal: 20 Years of Success With Questions Ahead

/in , , /by /The San Diego Union-Tribuneby Michael Smolens Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

San Diego has secure water supplies that are the envy of many agencies throughout the western United States.

The key to this was an agreement reached 20 years ago this week with the Imperial Irrigation District to send Colorado River water from that desert farming region to San Diego County.

The nation’s largest agriculture-to-urban water transfer was primarily accomplished through vast payments by San Diego to Imperial Valley farmers to modernize their

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San Diego Water Authority Celebrates 20 Years of Secure, Clean Water Through Landmark Pact

/in , , /by /Times of San Diegoby Elizabeth Ireland / City News Service Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

The San Diego County Water Authority announced that Sunday marks 20 years since water officials across the Southwestern U.S. signed the largest water conservation-transfer agreement in the nation’s history, enabling two decades of sourcing clean water from the Colorado River.

Known as the Colorado River Quantification Settlement Agreement, or QSA, the agreements settled decades of dispute over Colorado River water.

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